02-09-2006, 02:22 PM | #51 | ||
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Let's go Dolphins!
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02-09-2006, 03:13 PM | #52 |
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Results from Week 14
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02-09-2006, 03:15 PM | #53 |
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Standings after Week 14
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Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-09-2006 at 03:15 PM. |
02-09-2006, 03:16 PM | #54 | |
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Sorry, dude. Not looking good right now. |
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02-09-2006, 03:57 PM | #55 |
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Schedule for Week 15
Meaningful games A: 1998 Broncos (5-6) at 1974 Steelers (4-7) *The Group A demolition derby for the last playoff spot starts this weekend. A Denver win keeps the Broncos ahead of the pack and gives Denver the tiebreaker over Pittsburgh. A Pittsburgh win and things get really ugly in the standings. A: 1990 Giants (4-7) at 1982 Redskins (4-7) *Not an elimination game, but getting there. If the Redskins win, they will win the tiebreaker over the Giants. They'll need some help still because they don't have the tiebreaker over either the Steelers over Broncos at the moment. If the Giants win, then things are better for them because they hold the tiebreaker edge over both the Steelers and Broncos. B: 1999 Rams (6-5) at 1975 Steelers (6-5) *With the Redskins running away with the Group B crown, it's essentially come to these two teams to settle the second berth. They will play twice over the final five weeks, starting with this game. Whoever wins here will not only take over the lead in the standings, but will hold the tiebreaker edge. C: 2000 Ravens (4-7) at 1976 Raiders (3-8) *This is essentially an elimination game. The Raiders lose and they are definitely out. The Ravens lose and they are on the brink. C: 1992 Cowboys (7-4) at 1984 49ers (11-1) *The Cowboys would like to win this and secure their berth, but it's the Niners in San Francisco. They aren't about to just let Dallas come on the field and win. Sure, it's meaningless to them from a standings standpoint, but they'd love to stick it to the Cowboys and make them sweat a little more to get in the playoffs. D: 2001 Patriots (2-9) at 1977 Cowboys (8-3) *The Patriots can play spoiler to a Cowboys team that would like to stay ahead of the pileup that's built up just behind them for second place. Win and they stay clear of the pack. Lose and either 1993 Dallas or Chicago is right on their heels. D: 1993 Cowboys (6-5) at 1985 Bears (6-5) *A really, really, really big game at Soldier Field. If the Bears win, they remain no worse than two games back of the 1977 Cowboys and clinch the tiebreaker over the 1993 Cowboys. They also currently hold the tiebreaker over the Chiefs. However, if 1993 Dallas can win, they can put some heat on the 1977 Cowboys if that team loses because they would be one down and hold the tiebreaker edge right now. Lurking behind the scenes for both these games are the 6-6 Chiefs who have proven they can beat any of the other three teams contending in the group. E: 2002 Buccaneers (7-4) at 1978 Steelers (9-2) *A crucial game for the Bucs. If the Steelers win, they nearly salt away the group championship being up three with four to go. They also allow other teams in the group to keep the dim hope alive that the Bucs can be caught. E: 1994 49ers (4-7) at 1986 Giants (4-7) *Both these teams will be rooting for the Steelers because the winner will draw to within two games of the Bucs if Tampa Bay loses. However, neither team has the tiebreaker against the Bucs at the moment, so they'll still have to do a lot of work to catch up and get a bit of help. For the loser, the playoff chances grow very small indeed, especially if the Bucs win. F: 2003 Patriots (7-4) at 1979 Steelers (7-4) *A huge win by the Patriots last week sets up a pivotal battle at Three Rivers. If the Patriots win, they gain a game lead and own the tiebreaker over the Steelers, effectively making it a two-game lead. Pittsburgh wins, they take the lead, but can't get too comfortable with it because they'd still be down in the tiebreaker to the Patriots. F: 1995 Cowboys (3-7-1) at 1987 Washington (5-6) *The Cowboys have been streaky. Unfortunately, they lost four games to start with, tied a game, then won three in a row, and now have dropped three in a row. A fourth straight loss almost certainly dooms their playoff chances. For Washington, a win is crucial because they know that most likely either New England or Pittsburgh will lose and they can close the gap to one game. However, they trail in the tiebreaker to both teams, so they'll need some luck down the stretch. G: 2004 Patriots (7-4) at 1980 Raiders (3-8) *Oakland's under the axe blade in this game. A loss and they are eliminated from the playoff chase. A win and the impossibly dim chance of qualifying for the playoffs remains alive a little longer. For the Patriots, a win is necessary to stay up with the Packers, who now lead the tiebreaker over them. A loss combined with a Packer win nearly cinches the group title for the Packers. G: 1996 Packers (9-2) at 1988 49ers (3-7-1) *The Niners are also up against the wall. A loss and a Patriot win eliminates them. A win at least keeps them going another week. For the Packers, a win leaves them in control of the group no matter what the Patriots do. A couple more wins and they clinch no matter what. H: 2005 Steelers (0-3) at 1981 49ers (2-1) *The Steelers were eliminated last week, so now become a spoiler team. The Niners have faint hopes and are rooting for the 1989 Niners to win because they do have a tiebreak advantage for the moment over the Broncos and have already lost the tiebreaker to the 1989 Niners. Even if they lose, they can still make it if they win all their remaining games and Denver loses all their remaining games. H: 1997 Broncos (8-3) at 1989 49ers (8-3) *The battle for the Group H crown begins with this game. The winner gets a one-game advantage and controls the tiebreaker over the other team. The loser is still generally okay for the playoffs, but the Dolphins and perhaps Niners are lurking around. A meaningless game B: 1991 Redskins (11-0) at 1983 Raiders (2-9) Off: 1966 Packers, 1967 Packers, 1968 Jets, 1969 Chiefs, 1970 Colts, 1971 Cowboys, 1972 Dolphins, 1973 Dolphins |
02-09-2006, 05:03 PM | #56 |
Pro Rookie
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Results from Week 15
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02-09-2006, 05:05 PM | #57 |
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Standings after Week 15
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Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-09-2006 at 09:46 PM. |
02-10-2006, 05:01 PM | #58 |
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Schedule for Week 16
Meaningful games A: 1966 Packers (11-1) at 1990 Giants (4-8) *It's only meaningful to the Giants, but it definitely means a lot to them. They trail the other three teams in Group A and can't afford to fall further behind. If they lose here, they'll be two down to the winner of Pittsburgh and Washington with three to play. Not a recipe for success. A: 1974 Steelers (5-7) at 1982 Redskins (5-7) *Winner here takes second place for the moment. For Pittsburgh, a win clinches the tiebreaker over the Redskins, their only tiebreaker win against any of the other competitors in the group. A loss by more than seven points gives the tiebreaker to Washington and Pittsburgh will suddenly find itself on the short end to everybody in a tie situation, making winning out much more of an imperative. B: 1967 Packers (3-9) at 1991 Redskins (12-0) *A Packer team that afford a loss unfortunately draws the best team in group play when they least need to see them. Washington's really got nothing to play for but history, trying to go undefeated, but that may be enough to send the Packers' playoff chances to the grave. B: 1975 Steelers (6-6) at 1983 Raiders (2-10) *Steelers need to win this to make sure the idle Rams don't try to get away from them in the coming weeks. Raiders will try to damage a team's playoff chances for the second week in a row. C: 1968 Jets (4-8) at 1992 Cowboys (7-5) *These two teams have gone the opposite way since that first meeting when Namath and company tuned up the Cowboys for 50 points. Now the Jets stand on the brink of elimination. A Cowboy win eliminates them from the playoffs. A win by the Jets, however, means they'll be down two with three to play and that first-game blowout comes into play as the Jets win the tiebreaker on point differential against Dallas. A longshot still, but better than nothing. C: 1976 Raiders (4-8) at 1984 49ers (11-1) *Meaningless for the 49ers, but the Raiders need it to stay alive. They are unfortunately going to have to root for the Jets to stay tied with them to keep their chance of catching Dallas in good shape. This is assuming they win, of course. If the Niners beat them and Dallas wins, they'll join the Jets on the sideline and all this discussion is rendered pointless. D: 1969 Chiefs (6-6) at 1993 Cowboys (6-6) *The Chiefs have hung around and hung around. They've not set the world on fire, but they have pulled themselves off the canvas time and again. The Cowboys have also been tenacious, rebounding from a 1-3 start. Both teams don't expect to catch 1977 Dallas, so they'll both root for the 1977 Cowboys to beat the Bears so that the winner can tie the Bears for second place while the loser would just remain one back. D: 1977 Cowboys (9-3) at 1985 Bears (7-5) *If Dallas wins and the 1993 Cowboys lose, the 1977 Cowboys clinch the group title as they would hold the tiebreaker over both the Bears and Chiefs. For the Bears, a win cuts the lead to one game with three to go. They'll need a bunch of help from other teams, though. Teams they're trying to stay ahead of in the standings. E: 1970 Colts (1-3) at 1994 49ers (1-3) *This is a true elimination game. The loser is eliminated from playoff contention. The winner may still be eliminated anyway after next week if they lose or the Bucs win. Even so, the teams still want a chance rather than no chance. E: 1978 Steelers (9-3) at 1986 Giants (5-7) *The Steelers get a playoff berth with a win. They also need the win to keep distance on the idle Bucs, who currently hold the tiebreaker edge against them. The Giants, meanwhile, need a win to close the gap on the Bucs and try to apply some pressure. A loss puts them on the brink of elimination. F: 1971 Cowboys (5-6-1) at 1995 Cowboys (3-8-1) *The 1995 Cowboys were just eliminated, but they can drag the 1971 Cowboys down with them with a win. 1971 Dallas needs a win to keep the pressure on both the Redskins and the idle Patriots for second place. F: 1979 Steelers (8-4) at 1987 Redskins (6-6) *Pittsburgh would take a large step to securing their playoff berth with a win and get a little breathing room on the Patriots and a lot more on the Redskins. Washington could drop to fourth if they lose and the 1971 Cowboys win, so they can ill afford to take a defeat at this stage. They'd be 1.5 games back of New England and don't have the tiebreaker edge at the moment against the Patriots. G: 1972 Dolphins (5-6-1) at 1996 Packers (10-2) *The Dolphins have thin hopes, but they could be almost ephemeral if they drop this game to the Packers. Green Bay has already claimed one spot out of Group G, but they're aiming to lock down that home field for the first round and this would help that cause a lot. H: 1973 Dolphins (5-7) at 1997 Broncos (8-4) *The Broncos have lost control of the division lead to the 1989 49ers and need the win to stay with them. A defeat combined with a 1989 San Francisco win would leave them two down and down in the tiebreak to the Niners with three to play. It would also give the Dolphins a little bit of life, being two games back in that event. H: 1981 49ers (5-7) at 1989 49ers (9-3) *1989 San Francisco can maintain control of the group with a win and put a stranglehold on it if the Broncos lose. However, if they lose, the Broncos could tie them for the division lead and they would need to win head-to-head to secure the tiebreaker on them (they actually lead 2-1, but are down four points in the differential, so a loss hands the tiebreak to the Broncos). On top of that, the 1981 Niners would keep their playoff chances alive, though that would be better abetted by a win by the Dolphins over the Broncos. Meaningless game G: 1980 Raiders (3-9) at 1988 49ers (3-8-1) Off: 1998 Broncos, 1999 Rams, 2000 Ravens, 2001 Patriots, 2002 Buccaneers, 2003 Patriots, 2004 Patriots, 2005 Steelers |
02-13-2006, 01:44 PM | #59 |
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Results from Week 16
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02-13-2006, 01:46 PM | #60 |
Pro Rookie
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Standings after Week 16
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Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-13-2006 at 01:47 PM. |
02-13-2006, 02:27 PM | #61 |
Pro Rookie
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Schedule for Week 17
Meaningful Games A: 1974 Steelers (5-8) at 1966 Packers (12-1) *Only the Steelers are playing for something here. They are currently a game back of the Redskins for second place, but are effectively two down because of the tiebreaker the Redskins have over them with the win by Washington last week. It becomes extraordinarily difficult to make the playoffs if they lose and becomes all but impossible if the Redskins beat Denver. A: 1998 Broncos (5-7) at 1982 Redskins (6-7) *Put simply, the winner here is in second place. If it's Denver, they move a half-game ahead and would clinch the tiebreaker with the Redskins. If it's Washington, the Redskins would be up 1.5 games, but not totally secured as they'd have to blow out the Broncos to win the tiebreaker. B: 1975 Steelers (7-6) at 1967 Packers (4-9) *The Steelers need this to stay in the battle with the Rams for the second playoff berth for Group B. For the Packers, despite handing Washington their first loss of the year, the Steelers' victory over the Raiders eliminated them, so they'd love to puncture Pittsburgh's chances of reaching the playoffs in retribution. B: 1999 Rams (7-5) at 1983 Raiders (2-11) *None of the games in the series have been close and this one isn't expected to change anything, especially with the Raiders scraping along at the bottom of Group B. C: 1976 Raiders (4-9) at 1968 Jets (5-8) *The Raiders were eliminated last week, but they can seriously cripple the Jets if they beat them in New York. For New York, a win continues to narrow the gap on the Cowboys, who are off this week and that 50-24 win over Dallas in week 1 becomes ever-so-critical at this juncture. C: 2000 Ravens (4-8) at 1984 49ers (12-1) *The Ravens are on the cusp of elimination and would be very much done if they lose. A win and they move to two games behind the Cowboys for second place. For the Niners, they're just trying to keep everyone healthy for the playoffs while trying to avoid getting rusty. D: 1977 Cowboys (10-3) at 1969 Chiefs (6-7) *The Cowboys can clinch the Group D championship and simultaneously put the Chiefs in jeopardy with a win. A Chiefs win and a Bears loss ties them with Chicago for third, a half-game behind the idle 1993 Cowboys. A loss combined with a Bears win, however, and they're down two to the Bears, who would be in second place, with two games to go. D: 2001 Patriots (2-10) at 1985 Bears (7-6) *New England's only won twice all year, but one of those was a win over the Bears in the last meeting that seemed to send Chicago into their tailspin. A Chicago win moves them into second place and, with their tiebreaker edge on the Chiefs and 1993 Cowboys, makes them very tough to catch. A loss, however, and it becomes more difficult on them with the bye week coming up. They may find themselves down a game with two to play when they take the field again. E: 1978 Steelers (10-3) at 1970 Colts (4-9) *The Steelers effectively clinch the Group E title with a win and Tampa Bay loss (Tampa would still technically have a chance, but basically the Steelers have to lose out and the Bucs win out for it to happen). At any rate, the Steelers are already in the playoffs and Baltimore is eliminated, but with the Steelers having more to play for, they should still be bringing it hard in this game. E: 2002 Buccaneers (8-4) at 1986 Giants (5-8) *It's come down to this for the Giants and Bucs. A win keeps New York (and idle San Francisco) alive for a week more. A Bucs win and the Bucs clinch the last playoff berth from Group E, simulataneously eliminating both the Giants and the 49ers. F: 1979 Steelers (9-4) at 1971 Cowboys (5-7-1) *It's been a valiant comeback by the Cowboys from their horrid start, but it may have been too big a hole to get out of. A Steeler win nearly clinches the Group F championship for Pittsburgh, while the Cowboys would be on the bubble, especially if the Patriots win as well. A Dallas win means they can close the gap on second, but only if the Patriots lose as well. F: 2003 Patriots (7-5) at 1987 Redskins (6-7) *A very important game at RFK. The Patriots can take serious hold on second place and clinch the tiebreaker over Washington with a win. A Washington win, however, cuts the margin to a half-game, though Washington would need a large margin of victory to claim the tiebreaker over New England. G: 1980 Raiders (4-9) at 1972 Dolphins (6-6-1) *The Dolphins are on the ragged edge at this point. They have to keep winning and need help from the Patriots to make the playoffs. However, a loss combined with a Patriots win eliminates them and gives the second Group G berth to New England. G: 2004 Patriots (8-4) at 1988 49ers (3-9) *The Patriots will be doing scoreboard-watching on the Miami-Oakland game to see if they can clinch with a win over San Francisco. Even if Miami wins, they would still have an iron grip on second place. A loss and a Miami win, however, and it becomes a one-game lead over the Dolphins with a head-to-head meeting still left to settle it. H: 1981 49ers (5-8) at 1973 Dolphins (6-7) *San Francisco and Miami both are standing on the brink of elimination, though the Dolphins have a margin of error. If San Francisco loses, they are gone, end of story. If Miami loses, they are still around, but only barely and fortunate that the Broncos are off this week. A win for San Francisco keeps dim hopes alive, but a Miami win could make things more interesting for second place. H: 2005 Steelers (3-9) at 1989 49ers (10-3) *The Steelers are eliminated and don't have much to play for except pride. The 49ers, meanwhile, can just about wrap up the Group H title if they win. A loss allows the Broncos to hang around and be a threat, especially if Denver wins on San Francisco's off week next week. |
02-13-2006, 03:23 PM | #62 |
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Results from Week 17
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02-13-2006, 03:24 PM | #63 |
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Standings after Week 17
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Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-13-2006 at 03:26 PM. |
02-13-2006, 03:55 PM | #64 |
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Schedule for Week 18
Meaningful Games A: 1966 Packers (13-1) at 1998 Broncos (6-7) *The Packers keep chugging along even though they have nothing to play for. Meanwhile, Denver has tons to play for and need to keep winning. A win moves them a game ahead of the idle Redskins for second place, but it would be essentially a two game lead as they have the tiebreaker in hand against Washington. A loss, however, and they fall into a tie with the Redskins and would have the Steelers and/or Giants right behind going to the last couple of games. A: 1974 Steelers (5-9) at 1990 Giants (4-9) *Neither team can afford this loss at all. Either team loses and Denver wins, that team is eliminated. If Denver loses, then the loser here still clings to survival for one more week. The winner will draw close behind Washington for third. If Denver loses, then they'll be right behind both Denver and Washington for second place. B: 1967 Packers (4-10) at 1999 Rams (7-6) *The Rams have a couple of motivations going here. They desperately need to win to stay up with the Steelers in the playoff race. They also need to make up for last week's egg-laying in LA against the Raiders, and they also have a bit of vengeance on their minds because the Packers beat them last time they played. A loss will make it a harrowing challenge to catch the Steelers for the second playoff berth, especially if Pittsburgh wins this week. B: 1975 Steelers (8-6) at 1991 Redskins (12-1) *The Redskins have clinched and have nothing to play for. However, they may be smarting from that loss last week against Green Bay that ruined their perfect season. They may be out to send a message, which isn't a good thing for the Steelers. Pittsburgh caught a break when the Rams were upset by the Raiders, but they shouldn't count on such fortune two weeks in a row. A win here keeps them in the driver seat for the second playoff berth from Group B. A loss and a Rams win and it gets real tight going to the wire. C: 1968 Jets (5-9) at 2000 Ravens (4-9) *This is an elimination game. The loser goes home with no chance for the playoffs. Even the winner won't have a chance if the Cowboys win this week, knocking out both teams. A win and a Dallas loss, though, and things start to get interesting. C: 1976 Raiders (5-9) at 1992 Cowboys (7-6) *If the Cowboys win, they're in. It's that simple. A loss, though, and Cowboy Nation is going to get a little antsy. D: 1969 Chiefs (6-8) at 2001 Patriots (2-11) *The Chiefs are all out of error margin. Fortunately for them, they get to play New England this week. A win keeps them going for one more week as the Bears will be idle this week. A loss, however, and they are done. D: 1977 Cowboys (11-3) at 1993 Cowboys (7-6) *The 1977 Cowboys have nothing to play for, but they'll probably still want to show they're as good as the 1993 team in franchise history, which you can't tell head-to-head because 1993 Dallas is leading 2-1. For the 1993 Cowboys, they need the win to tie up the Bears in the standings with two games to go. They, in fact, need to step ahead of the Bears because Chicago owns them on the head-to-head tiebreaker right now. E: 1970 Colts (4-10) at 2002 Buccaneers (9-4) *The Bucs have clinched a berth and the Colts are eliminated. Still, Tampa Bay has some hope of landing the group championship and home field in the first round, so they'll be motivated to win this one. A win here and next week and they can potentially steal the championship from the Steelers the last week of the season. E: 1978 Steelers (11-3) at 1994 49ers (5-8) *A similar situation with the Steelers in and the Niners out. Even if Pittsburgh wins, they can't clinch the group championship until the final week because Tampa Bay can catch them from behind between now and then. A win just means Tampa's margin for error goes to nothing over the last two games they play. F: 1971 Cowboys (5-8-1) at 2003 Patriots (8-5) *Yet another game of one-team-in-one-team-out. The Patriots have the exact same situation as the Bucs do in Group F. They can catch the Steelers and steal the championship from them the last week of the season, but they can't afford to lose to make it harder to do than it already is. F: 1979 Steelers (10-4) at 1995 Cowboys (4-8-1) *The 1979 Steelers are also in the same boat as their 1978 counterparts. A win doesn't clinch them a title, just makes it harder for the Patriots to catch them. They have to hope for a pair of Patriot losses or they'll be going head-to-head the last week of the season for the Group F championship. G: 1972 Dolphins (7-6-1) at 2004 Patriots (9-4) *The Patriots can clinch the last playoff berth from Group G and knock out the Dolphins all at once with a win. They can also potentially square up things with the Packers for first place if Green Bay loses to Oakland this week. As for Miami, they can cut the gap to one game with a win, but then they'll need help over the last two weeks to eliminate that last game and steal the playoff berth. G: 1980 Raiders (4-10) at 1996 Packers (10-3) *The Packers are still trying to keep the Patriots at bay for the group championship. A win here would go a long way to solidifying their hold, but it will likely take a win next week against the Patriots to clinch it for sure. A loss and a Patriots win and this may not be settled until the last week of the season. H: 1973 Dolphins (7-7) at 2005 Steelers (3-10) *The Dolphins have a thin margin to work with, but they draw the Steelers this week and therefore have a good chance for a win. A win and a Broncos loss and they end up behind Denver by only a half-game. However, a loss and a Denver win seals their fate as Denver captures the last playoff berth. H: 1981 49ers (5-8) at 1997 Broncos (8-5) *Denver can claim the last playoff berth with a win and a Miami loss. They can also keep alive their very meager chances of winning the group championship by moving to within two games of idle San Francisco with two to play, including a head-to-head matchup the final week of the year. Off: 1982 Redskins, 1983 Raiders, 1984 49ers, 1985 Bears, 1986 Giants, 1987 Redskins, 1988 49ers, 1989 49ers Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-13-2006 at 03:58 PM. |
02-13-2006, 04:49 PM | #65 |
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Results from Week 18
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02-13-2006, 04:56 PM | #66 |
Pro Rookie
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Standings after Week 18
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02-14-2006, 01:39 AM | #67 |
Head Coach
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Come on '73 'Phins! Let's hope the Broncos get beat and we win!
__________________
2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) |
02-14-2006, 10:30 AM | #68 |
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Schedule for Week 19
Meaningful Games A: 1982 Redskins (6-8) at 1966 Packers (14-1) *It's hard to say how the Packers will approach this given they've got a couple of weeks until they play again at Lambeau in the playoffs. They may try to give the starters more rest or they may try to keep them sharp given the upcoming layoff. Either way, it matters very little to the Packers. For Washington, however, this game means a lot. They desperately need to win because the team they are tied with, the Broncos, owns the tiebreaker against them head-to-head and they can't afford a loss. If they lose and Denver wins, they are out and Denver is in. If they win and Denver loses, they can control their own destiny in the last game. If both win, Denver controls its destiny and Washington will need help. If both lose, then everything goes flying out the window because it'll be a three way tie at 6-9 for the last berth going into the last week of the season. A: 1998 Broncos (6-8) at 1990 Giants (5-9) *It's elimination time for the Giants. Win or go home. For the Broncos, they can claim the second berth if they win and Washington loses. A loss and a Redskins win hurts them, but they hold the tiebreaker. They'll need to win and get help next week, though. B: 1999 Rams (7-7) at 1991 Redskins (13-1) *The Rams are skidding at the worst time and come into DC to face a team that has owned them all year. However, even if they lose against Washington, they still control their own fate for the playoffs because they'll meet Pittsburgh with the playoffs at stake next week. D: 1985 Bears (8-6) at 1969 Chiefs (6-9) *The Chiefs are playing out the string now after a late-season losing streak blew up their playoff hopes. The Bears are still fighting to get in, but hold all the cards against Dallas for the last playoff berth. It's simple. Win and they're in. Lose and they'll play Dallas next week for the playoffs. D: 2001 Patriots (3-11) at 1993 Cowboys (8-6) *Dallas doesn't have any control over the last playoff berth, but they'll still want to beat the Patriots to get some momentum going into the last game against Chicago. However, if Chicago wins this week, it's all moot. E: 2002 Buccaneers (10-4) at 1994 49ers (6-8) *The Bucs can tie up the idle Steelers for first place with a win, but even a loss doesn't do any harm because Tampa Bay can still beat the Steelers in the last game of the season to claim the Group E championship. F: 2003 Patriots (9-5) at 1995 Cowboys (5-8-1) *The Patriots are like the Bucs in Group E. Win and they tie the Steelers for first place. However, a loss doesn't do anything because they can still beat Pittsburgh in the last game to take the Group F title. G: 2004 Patriots (10-4) at 1996 Packers (11-3) *This game may settle the Group G championship. If New England wins, they tie up Green Bay for first. However, it is likely that Green Bay will clinch the tiebreaker on point differential, so New England will still need to win next week against Oakland and have Green Bay lose to the 49ers to claim the group championship. For Green Bay, it's much simpler. Win and the title is theirs. End of story. H: 1989 49ers (11-3) at 1973 Dolphins (8-7) *There isn't much at stake for the 49ers, but they have had difficulties with the Dolphins, so they may try to beat them and knock them out of the playoffs so they can avoid them later on. For the Dolphins, they have very little control over things right now. Their playoff hopes are predicated on winning this last game and then hoping that Denver skids in with two more losses to finish the year. Any of that fails to happen and they are done. H: 2005 Steelers (3-11) at 1997 Broncos (8-6) *Denver is still trying to get into the playoffs. They've been trying to do it for the last couple of weeks and they've come up empty both times. Denver still controls its destiny, however, because of their tiebreaker edge against Miami. They only need one win, one measly win, to qualify for the playoffs. It'd better come this week because next week they get San Francisco. Meaningless Games B: 1983 Raiders (3-11) at 1967 Packers (5-10) C: 1984 49ers (13-1) at 1968 Jets (5-10) C: 2000 Ravens (5-9) at 1992 Cowboys (8-6) E: 1986 Giants (5-9) at 1970 Colts (4-11) F: 1987 Redskins (6-8) at 1971 Cowboys (5-9-1) G: 1988 49ers (3-10) at 1972 Dolphins (7-7-1) Off: 1974 Steelers, 1975 Steelers, 1976 Raiders, 1977 Cowboys, 1978 Steelers, 1979 Steelers, 1980 Raiders, 1981 49ers |
02-14-2006, 11:13 AM | #69 |
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Results from Week 19
Group A Code:
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Group C Code:
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Group D Code:
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Group E Code:
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Group F Code:
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Group H Code:
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(Sorry, Izulde. They gave it a good run there at the end. When I saw the Denver score, I felt bad for you.) |
02-14-2006, 11:13 AM | #70 |
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Standings after Week 19
Code:
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02-14-2006, 12:46 PM | #71 |
Pro Rookie
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Schedule for Week 20
Meaningful Games A: 1974 Steelers (5-10) at 1998 Broncos (6-9) A: 1982 Redskins (6-9) at 1990 Giants (6-9) *These two games will settle who gets the last playoff berth from Group A. Here are the scenarios: A) Steelers win or tie/Redskins win: Redskins advance on overall record B) Steelers win or tie/Giants win: Giants advance on overall record C) Broncos win/Redskins win: Broncos advance on head-to-head versus Washington D) Broncos win/Giants win: Giants advance on head-to-head versus Denver E) Broncos win/Redskins and Giants tie: Broncos advance on overall record F) Both games end up tied: Washington advances on combined head-to-head versus Broncos and Giants B: 1975 Steelers (8-7) at 1999 Rams (7-8) *Rams win, they win the tiebreaker over the Steelers and make the playoffs. Any other outcome, the Steelers go to the playoffs. D: 1985 Bears (8-7) at 1993 Cowboys (9-6) *Bears win, they win the tiebreaker over the Cowboys and make the playoffs. Any other outcome, the Cowboys go to the playoffs. E: 1978 Steelers (11-4) at 2002 Buccaneers (10-5) *Buccaneers win, they win the tiebreaker over the Steelers and win the Group E championship. Any other result, the Steelers win the Group E championship. F: 1979 Steelers (10-5) at 2003 Patriots (10-5) *Winner wins the Group F championship. If it's a tie, Patriots win the championship based on better head-to-head versus Steelers. Meaningless games B: 1983 Raiders (3-12) at 1991 Redskins (14-1) C: 1976 Raiders (5-10) at 2000 Ravens (5-10) C: 1984 49ers (13-2) at 1992 Cowboys (9-6) D: 1977 Cowboys (11-4) at 2001 Patriots (3-12) E: 1986 Giants (6-9) at 1994 49ers (7-8) F: 1987 Redskins (7-8) at 1995 Cowboys (5-9-1) G: 1980 Raiders (4-11) at 2004 Patriots (10-5) G: 1988 49ers (3-11) at 1996 Packers (12-3) H: 1981 49ers (6-9) at 2005 Steelers (4-11) H: 1989 49ers (12-3) at 1997 Broncos (8-7) |
02-14-2006, 12:53 PM | #72 |
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Results from Week 20--Meaningless Games
Code:
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02-14-2006, 01:06 PM | #73 |
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Results from Week 20--1978 Steelers at 2002 Buccaneers
We start our tour of the critical games with the Steelers and Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Steelers, despite having the better record at the moment, needed to win or tie to clinch the Group E championship. The first quarter was a defensive battle as neither team could mount a serious drive on offense. As a result, the quarter ended like it started, a 0-0 tie. Defenses continued to dominate the second quarter and once again, neither team could scratch on offense. At halftime, the game was still 0-0. In the third quarter, the Steelers finally started getting things going on offense. Bradshaw started poking some holes in Tampa's cover-2 while Franco Harris ripped off some good runs. However, when they got into the red zone, the Bucs stiffened up and turned the Steelers back. Roy Gerela twice had to come on and convert field goals. However, on the other side, the Buccaneers continued to struggle offensively and still couldn't get on the scoreboard. The Steelers, therefore, lead 6-0 going to the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, the defenses again continued to control things, except for one drive. That drive came about because the Bucs coughed up the ball deep in their own end, giving the Steelers the short field. Pittsburgh didn't let the opportunity slip past as they pounded it into the end zone. The Steelers elected to go for two, but failed, making the score 12-0. However, the Bucs were totally ineffective all day with the football as the Steel Curtain delivered one of its finest performances. That zero would remain on Tampa's side of the ledger until the clock struck zero. The Steelers win, 12-0. Pittsburgh clinches the Group E championship and will play at home the first round, while Tampa Bay will have to go on the road. Code:
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02-14-2006, 01:17 PM | #74 |
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Results from Week 20--1979 Steelers at 2003 Patriots
Another winner-takes-all championship game, this one at Foxboro. If the Steelers won, they could claim the Group F championship, but any other result gave it to the Patriots. In the first quarter, Tom Brady managed to break down the Steel Curtain enough to find Troy Brown for an early touchdown to get the home crowd into it, but otherwise it was a defensive battle. Patriots lead 7-0 after one quarter of play. In the second, the Steelers struck back to tie it up as Terry Bradshaw managed to lay out a beautiful ball for the acrobatic Lynn Swann to go after and catch in the end zone, tying the game at 7-7. It would remain that way until halftime. The third quarter finally saw the offenses get things cranked up for both teams. Franco Harris did some hard running that eventually rewarded him with a 2-yard plunge early in the third that put the Steelers ahead 14-7. The Patriots came right back with an 80-yard drive that ended with a Brady pass to Mike Vrabel on a goal line pass to tie it up at 14. New England would later add a Vinatieri field goal to make it 17-14 going to the final stanza. The last quarter continued the drama that had intensified in the third quarter. Bradshaw's passing and Harris's running pushed the Steelers into the end zone and into the lead once again at 21-17 with ten minutes to go. Again, however, the Patriots had the answer as Brady continued to pick apart the Steel Curtain and then threw his third TD pass of the game and his second to Troy Brown with five and a half minutes left to put the Patriots ahead 24-21. The Steelers went three-and-out, then were forced to burn timeouts and the two-minute warning to get the ball back. They got it back, but there was too little time left and they couldn't get into field goal range before the clock ran out. The Patriots win, 24-21! New England wins the Group F championship outright and will host a first round game. The Steelers will have to travel for their first round game. Code:
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02-14-2006, 01:41 PM | #75 |
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Results from Week 20--1985 Bears at 1993 Cowboys
Unlike the prior two games in our tour, this was an elimination game. The loser in this game was staying home, but they wouldn't be hosting a playoff game. The winner would be going on the road in the playoffs, but at least they'd still be playing. In the first quarter, the two teams traded punches, feeling each other out, but it was the Bears who cracked the scoreboard first as Walter Payton pounded his way in from seven yards out to give the Bears the early 7-0 lead. The Cowboys came right back as Troy Aikman threw a perfect bomb to Michael Irvin down the sideline. Irvin didn't break stride and raced into the end zone to tie up the game at 7-all, a score that would hold for the rest of the opening quarter. The teams continued to trade blows in the second quarter with the Bears getting the better of it as William "The Refrigerator" Perry busted into the end zone in short yardage to put the Bears back ahead 14-7. The Cowboys made a drive into Bears territory but only came away with an Eddie Murray field goal to make it 14-10. The Bears threatened again, but this time the Cowboy defense stood up to the pressure and forced the Bears to accept a field goal by Kevin Butler to make it 17-10. The Cowboys then executed their two-minute offense to generate another Murray field goal as time ran out in the half, leaving the Bears in front 17-13 at the break. In the third, both defenses re-asserted themselves and dominated the run of play in the quarter. The lone exception was a Cowboy drive that wound up getting a third Eddie Murray field goal to cut the Bears lead to 17-16 going to the fourth quarter. In the fourth, defenses again kept offenses at bay as Aikman and Smith for Dallas and McMahon and Payton for the Bears kept finding all their openings getting closed off time after time. Finally, with four minutes to go, the Cowboys had the ball after a punt at their own 33 yard line. Smith slashed off tackle for six yards, then Darryl Johnston collected a first down. Aikman then faked on first down to Smith and laid it out for Alvin Harper, who reeled it in at the Bear 17 before going out of bounds, bringing the crowd at Texas Stadium to its feet cheering. Smith got stuffed on the next play, but then Aikman hit Jay Novacek over the middle for the touchdown. Aikman had to listen to the roar of the crowd for how he did because he didn't see his completion after taking a hellacious hit from Richard Dent. Dallas, ahead 22-17, elected to go for two, but the Bears snuffed out the play and kept the margin at five points. Chicago had two timeouts and the two-minute warning to work with, starting out at their own 24 yard line. They managed to move the ball down the field until they reached the Dallas 28 with just :21 to go and facing fourth down. McMahon dropped back to pass, but was snowed under by the Cowboy rush and dropped for a sack, clinching the game and the playoff berth for the Cowboys. Dallas wins 22-17 and advances to the playoffs. Code:
Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-14-2006 at 01:42 PM. |
02-14-2006, 02:09 PM | #76 |
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Results from Week 20--1975 Steelers at 1999 Rams
Another elimination game where the winner goes on to the playoffs and the loser is done for the year. The Rams are a great team on their fast track at the TransWorld Dome in St. Louis. However, in the first quarter, it looked like the Steelers were the Rams rather than the Rams themselves. Terry Bradshaw, John Stallworth, and Lynn Swann played pitch-and-catch the whole quarter as the Rams, expecting a smashmouth effort, were caught off-guard by the unexpected Steeler passing barrage. The Steeler passing wound up setting up a pair of short touchdown runs by Franco Harris and by the end of the first quarter, the Rams faithful were watching in shocked silence as their team trailed 14-0. The Rams finally showed a bit of life in the second quarter, but the Steel Curtain still mostly held them in check. However, the Steelers did have one breakdown and they paid dearly for it as Isaac Bruce blew past his defender at the line and streaked up the sideline, where Kurt Warner, who finally had decent time to throw a deep ball for once, managed to lay it out for him, resulting in a 58-yard touchdown strike that cut the lead to 14-7. The Steelers, meanwhile, decided to start going back to their bread-and-butter, grinding the football down the field with Franco Harris. They answered the Ram touchdown with a clock-eating drive that drove deep into Ram territory. However, the Rams stiffened in their resolve and forced the Steelers to take and make a field goal that pushed the lead to 17-7. The Rams still couldn't generate anything on offense, though, aside from that bomb and the Steelers managed to tack on a field goal as the half expired to make it 20-7 at the break. In the third quarter, the Rams came out on fire as whatever halftime adjustments they made paid off. Warner began shredding the Steel Curtain, hitting all his receivers with crisp passes and then watching them shrug off and outrun their defenders. Marshall Faulk turned one screen pass into a 27-yard touchdown, and then on the next Ram possession, Torry Holt laid out for a diving touchdown from 34 yards out and suddenly the TransWorld Dome was rocking and the Rams were ahead 21-20, a score that stood for the remainder of the third quarter, but the Rams were threatening again as time ran out. The Rams made good on the threat as they reached deep into the red zone in the early going in the fourth quarter. Warner pitched to Faulk and he scooted in from seven yards out and what had been a 20-7 deficit was turned into a 28-20 lead and the noise inside the TransWorld Dome was deafening. Could the Steelers pick themselves up off the mat after taking so many shots from the Rams? Yes, they could. After struggling on offense for all of the third quarter, the Steelers finally got untracked again in the fourth. Franco Harris did a lot of the heavy lifting, but Bradshaw had some timely third down completions to Stallworth and Swann to keep the drive going. Finally, with the ball resting at the Ram 12, Bradshaw faked to Harris and then lofted a sweet ball to Swann over top the drawn-in defense. Swann brought it in and strolled in unmolested for the touchdown. Trailing 28-26, the Steelers went for two. Harris battered his way in and the game was tied at 28-28. Unfortunately for the Steelers, there was plenty of time left and the Ram offense was on fire. The Steel Curtain, seemingly impenitrable in the first half, was being torn apart by the Rams in the second half. This time, it took just one play. Warner faked to Faulk and then lofted a perfect ball down the middle to Holt, who had beat his man. 74 yards later, it was a touchdown and the Rams once again lead 35-28. The Steelers seemed to lose a little steam after that and never really threatened to score again. They had one last chance inside of two minutes remaining, but turned it over on downs after reaching the St. Louis 27. Warner knelt down on the ball a couple of times and that was that. The Rams win 35-28 and advance to the playoffs by winning the head-to-head tiebreaker with Pittsburgh 3-1. Code:
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02-14-2006, 02:42 PM | #77 |
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Results from Week 20--1974 Steelers at 1998 Broncos, 1982 Redskins at 1990 Giants
Two games. Three teams. One playoff berth. Let's do it. Starting off in Denver where the Broncos would like to win and then hope bad things happen to the Giants, the Broncos get off on the right foot as Elway hands off to Terrell Davis, who storms in from 23 yards out to put the Broncos up 7-0. Over in New York, John Riggins blasts his way in from four yards out to put the Redskins ahead 7-0. The Giants come back with a Matt Bahr field goal to cut it to 7-3 by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter in Denver, the Broncos would crank up the offense further as Elway would strike for a pair of touchdowns, one to Shannon Sharpe and one to Rod Smith to put the Broncos up 21-0 by halftime. It seems like Denver will reach 7-9, which will eliminate the Redskins, who are watching the scoreboard with great concern in New York. Washington continues to play like there's no tomorrow, which there may not be anyway with Denver beating up the Steelers. Every time they look at the board Denver puts up another touchdown. Still, the Redskins press grimly on as Thiesmann connects with Ricky Sanders for a nice touchdown pass to put the Redskins ahead 14-3 by halftime, a result that delights the Denver faithful at Mile High. The Steelers show some life in the third quarter, breaking through for a touchdown, but the Broncos do get a Jason Elam field goal to make it 24-7, putting Washington's neck squarely in the noose. Back in New York, the Giants finally begin to show some spark, seeing that Denver is in good shape to win. OJ Anderson caps a drive with a touchdown. Parcells then rolls the dice and goes for two to cut the lead to three. Simms hits Mark Bavaro in the end zone to cut the lead to 14-11. Washington, however, isn't going to roll over yet. They manfully press on in spite of what's happening in Denver and Riggins pounds out another TD to make it 21-11 by the time the third quarter ends. The Giants are now up against it, knowing the berth is theirs for the taking because of Denver's control of their game, but they gotta get off the mat here in New York or it won't matter at all. Pittsburgh scores early in the fourth quarter to make it 24-14, eliciting a cheer from all quarters of Giants Stadium. The Giants score on a Simms-to-Bavaro pass midway through the quarter to make it 21-18, which draws boos from the crowd in Denver. The Broncos have their game seemingly in hand as they continue to stymy the Steelers. As the fans at Giants Stadium watch the score hold in Denver, they get louder by the minute. The Giants themselves seem to get more energy as they know they can get in with a win. Meanwhile, the energy is slowly draining on the Washington sideline as it looks like they will not make the playoffs now. The game comes to an end in Denver as the Broncos have won 24-14, putting them at 7-9. Now the Broncos and their fans will have to watch the closing minutes in New York and hope the Redskins can hang on. Can they do it when they now have nothing to play for? The answer seems to be "no". The Redskins seem to be deflated as the fourth quarter goes on. Finally, the Giants tie the game on a Matt Bahr 42-yard field goal with just under two minutes left. Washington can't get anything going with their last chance with the ball and punt away. Parcells elects to kill the clock and send the game to OT. The Broncos and their fans are not pleased to say the least. The Redskins get the ball first in the OT and actually show enough heart to put together a decent drive, getting up the hopes of everyone in Denver that they can pull this off. But, the drive stalls out at the 34. Mark Mosely comes on for a 41-yard attempt. Snap, hold, kick is on the way........no good!! Denver fans groan. New York fans go wild! The Giants get the ball and a chance to win their way into the playoffs. It is a chance they don't blow. They work their way into Washington territory. With each yard gained, fans in Denver are screaming for the Redskins to do something, anything to stop the Giants. They finally do so, but not until they reach the Redskins 17. Matt Bahr comes on to the field. He tied it up to force OT and now he can win it and send the Giants to the postseason. Snap, hold is good, kick's up......the Giants are going to the postseason! Matt Bahr from 34 yar---*bzzt* So goes the sound of thousands of television sets all across Denver and inside the Broncos locker room. New York beats Washington 24-21 in OT and advances to the playoffs by virtue of winning the head-to-head tiebreaker over Denver 3-1. Code:
Last edited by Wolfpack : 02-14-2006 at 02:42 PM. |
02-14-2006, 02:59 PM | #78 |
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Final Regular Season Standings
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02-14-2006, 03:14 PM | #79 |
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XL League Playoff Pairings
Please note: these pairings were pre-determined based on group vs group, similar to how it is done in the World Cup, rather than seeded on record. (E2) 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) at (A1) 1966 Green Bay Packers (15-1) (G2) 2004 New England Patriots (11-5) at (C1) 1984 San Francisco 49ers (14-2) (A2) 1990 New York Giants (7-9) at (E1) 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) (C2) 1992 Dallas Cowboys (9-7) at (G1) 1996 Green Bay Packers (13-3) (F2) 1979 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) at (B1) 1991 Washington Redskins (15-1) (H2) 1997 Denver Broncos (9-7) at (D1) 1977 Dallas Cowboys (11-5) (B2) 1999 St. Louis Rams (8-8) at (F1) 2003 New England Patriots (11-5) (D2) 1993 Dallas Cowboys (10-6) at (H1) 1989 San Francisco 49ers (12-4) |
02-15-2006, 09:23 AM | #80 |
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Here's how I'm going to do things for all the playoff games. I will use QPF to determine winners for all the games. Once winners are determined, I'll go to whatifsports.com and try to run the matchups a number of times until I get an outcome that looks similar to what QPF produced. In this way, QPF still determines winners throughout so there no "engine switching" that could taint the results, if you will, but I can then use the whatifsports.com output to generate better stories of how the games played out.
On with the playoffs. |
02-15-2006, 12:26 PM | #81 |
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1st Round--2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) at 1966 Green Bay Packers (15-1)
GREEN BAY--Bart Starr completed a 67-yard touchdown pass to Boyd Dowler midway through the fourth quarter, lifting the Green Bay Packers to a 10-6 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the XL League playoffs at Lambeau Field. In a hard-fought defensive battle, the Bucs held the yardage and time-of-possession edge, but two Brad Johnson interceptions tipped the balance back to Green Bay. The Packers move on to the quarterfinals where they will await the winner of the game between the 2004 New England Patriots and the 1984 San Francisco 49ers. In a game where both defenses were dominant, chances at scoring were few and far between. The Bucs generally played better in the first half than the Packers did, but could only muster a pair of field goals by Martin Grammatica, one of which came at the end of the half as Tampa Bay executed a well-run two-minute offense to move the ball into field goal range to make the halftime score 6-0 Tampa Bay. In the third quarter, the Packers finally got on the scoreboard. With 3:03 left in the third, Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden elected to go for it on fourth and short at the Buc 47. The Packers snuffed out the run play to Michael Pittman and forced a turnover on downs. The Packers then moved the ball down to the 30 but couldn't budge the defense any further and had to settle for a 47-yard field goal from Don Chandler, who had missed one in the first half. Then, on the final play of the quarter after the ensuing kickoff, Brad Johnson got the ball to Mike Alstott, who shed a couple of tackles and picked up a number of blocks to rumble 55 yards to the Green Bay 31. Tampa Bay looked poised to put more points on the board, but the Packers came up huge on defense. Dave Robinson intercepted an overthrown Johnson pass and returned it to the Green Bay 34, killing the scoring chance. The Packers could do nothing with it though and punted it back. On the ensuing possession, the Bucs again were able to move the ball into Green Bay territory and threaten to score. Once again, however, the Green Bay secondary, this time in the form of Bob Jeter, made the critical play in the form of an interception to stop the drive. Bart Starr then completed a short pass to Jim Taylor for five yards, setting up 2nd-and-5 at the Packer 33 with 8:03 left. Starr manage to find Dowler and hit him in stride running through the Tampa defense and Dowler raced the rest of the way into the end zone to put the Packers ahead 10-6 after the extra point. The Buccaneers continued to struggle on offense, never really threatening to score again. Their last chance ended when Mike Alstott was stopped for no gain on a 4th-and-2 at the Packer 48 with 2:10 remaining. The Packers were able to run out the clock and claim the win thereafter. Box Score |
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