Conference Championships Thread

[Raiders Army]

Delhomme intercepted. I think that's gonna be about it.

[Icy]

Time to go to bed, it's 3:30 am here and this is not going to change (Now when i wake up in the morning i will read that i missed the best comeback in the history from the panthers).

[kingfc22]

If Seattle's defense shows up like they did today in the Super Bowl, then I think we should be in for an entertaining game.

[Radii]

What an embarrassment. This team isn't as good as the one that beat the Giants, but they're not this bad either. Jesus.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by kingfc22

If Seattle's defense shows up like they did today in the Super Bowl, then I think we should be in for an entertaining game.

My guess as to the line: Steelers by 4

[Schmidty]

I hate being a Lion fan in Seahawks "country". My wife (a Seahawk fan) remarked today how disgusted she is by the bandwagon fans in this region. No on talks about the Seahawks EVER until they finally make the NFC championship. Now suddenly, these people who never support the team, as I said earlier, EVER, are wearing hats and T-shirts. These T-shirts literally appeared 4-5 days ago.

I come from the Michigan, where people suffer and bleed for the Lions, yet sell out every fucking game and care so intensely that it hurts. We haven't won anything other than 1 playoff game in 50+ years, yet we support our team with our hearts on our sleeves, through, good, bad and nauseating. I can't deal with this pop-culture fan-base here.

It makes me want to vomit. 95% of them are fake front-runner lovers. They back their team when it's "cool". I feel bad for that 5% base of real Seahawk fans, because their love of their team is eclipsed by the lame, fickle, and mild attitudes of the other 95%.

GO STEELERS!!!!!!

[tucker rocky]

Fuuummmbbblle!

[Deattribution]

Wow I didn't know Paul Allen had gold-plated teeth.

[TroyF]

to all the Steelers fans:

Congrats. What a tough road you guys took. I'm really angry the Broncos changed their style in losing, but I'm not sure that'd have made a difference. (I'd just like to go down with what got us this far, ya know?)

I had company come over and ducked out of the thread before I had a chance to say it.

Good luck to you in the Super Bowl.

And Seattle fans, congrats as well.

To both teams: Please, please play your best in The Super Bowl. I want an exciting game and I think you guys are evenly matched. I don't want a repeat of todays games. thanks.

[Eaglesfan27]

I agree with TroyF. I think that both teams are relatively evenly matched and that this could be a very exciting Super Bowl.

[ISiddiqui]

Wow... Seattle may have been the most UNDERrated #1 seed in recent memory. All these people saying how Carolina was going to beat them and Seattle just destroys the Panthers.

[Wolfpack]

Well, that'll happen when you're down to #3 RB and he gets knocked out in the 1st quarter, leaving you with...apparently nothing at all. Combine that with "Shaky Jake" running the offense today, and it just became a perfect storm for the Panthers. Jake can be a great QB, but he can also be an awful QB. Unlike Hasselback, Jake can't be counted on to carry a team for a whole game (as opposed to say the 4th quarter of a tight game). It's rather like watching a kid playing with knives. The kid will be okay or cut all to pieces. Either way, you're watching through your fingers.

[henry296]

I am was interested in Troy's comments about the Broncos blitz. I know this isn't a complete sample, but from the SportsCenter highlights:

1. Near pick by Bailey (0-0) - 6 man rush
2. TD to Wilson (3-0) - 6 man rush.
3. 3rd down pass to Ward (10-3) - 3 man rush
4. Screen pass to Randel El (10-3) - 5 man rush
5. 3rd down dump to Haynes (10-3) - 4 man rush
6. Called back TD to Bettis (17-3) - 6/7 man rush
7. Ensuing TD pass to Ward (17-3) - 4 man rush
8. Pass to Wilson (24-10) - 6 man rush

50/50 mix of blitz / no blitz on those 8 plays.

[cthomer5000]

Opening line is Steelers -4

[Butter]

Do you ever consider yanking Delhomme in that game? I mean, he was 5/18 with 2 picks at one point before he started just throwing dump off passes... and yet still managed to throw another pick later on. He was absolutely AWFUL. Maybe the worst big game performance I've seen in recent memory.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

Do you ever consider yanking Delhomme in that game? I mean, he was 5/18 with 2 picks at one point before he started just throwing dump off passes... and yet still managed to throw another pick later on. He was absolutely AWFUL. Maybe the worst big game performance I've seen in recent memory.

I agree. I just kept thinking to myself "Wow, Delhomme really looks a lot like Joey Harrington out there."

[GoSeahawks]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

It makes me want to vomit. 95% of them are fake front-runner lovers. They back their team when it's "cool". I feel bad for that 5% base of real Seahawk fans, because their love of their team is eclipsed by the lame, fickle, and mild attitudes of the other 95%.

I live in Portland, Or and it's the same way. My brother and I have gone to the same sports bar to watch Hawks games since we moved here about 5 years ago. Since we've gone to this bar we always have to ask to get the Hawks game put on the TV because everyone else is watching their Steelers, Packers, 49ers, Raiders or Cowboys. In these five years at this sports bar there has been ONE group besides my brother and I that actually watch the Hawks.

Yesterday I show up and get my normal seat right before the game. The place was absolutley packed with die hard Seahawks fans. Everybody had their Ken Hamlin, Hasslehawk and Joe Jurahoweverthehellyouspellit jerseys on. I wanted to walk up to every single one and punch them in the face. I'm sure most of them don't even know who the guy is on the back of their shirt. This reigon is packed with the biggest bandwagon hoppers in the nation. It makes me sick and I hate having to prove to people that I was still with the team through their bad decades. lol...

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by henry296

I am was interested in Troy's comments about the Broncos blitz. I know this isn't a complete sample, but from the SportsCenter highlights:

1. Near pick by Bailey (0-0) - 6 man rush
2. TD to Wilson (3-0) - 6 man rush.
3. 3rd down pass to Ward (10-3) - 3 man rush
4. Screen pass to Randel El (10-3) - 5 man rush
5. 3rd down dump to Haynes (10-3) - 4 man rush
6. Called back TD to Bettis (17-3) - 6/7 man rush
7. Ensuing TD pass to Ward (17-3) - 4 man rush
8. Pass to Wilson (24-10) - 6 man rush

50/50 mix of blitz / no blitz on those 8 plays.

The Steelers converted 4 consecutive third and longs where Denver rushed 4 or less every play.

Only on the near pick by Bailey and the TD run by Bettis did they line up 8 in the box and rush more than four men. It was consistent and it was ll throughout the first half.

The interesting thing is that when they did rush 6+, the success was much higher. Bailey nearly had the INT. The second TD pass to Wilson should have been picked off. It was a horrible decision and a pretty poor throw. Just horrible defensive backfield play.

They did hit the first TD to Wilson on a blitz, but they only sent more than 4 one or two times the entire drive.

Simply put, that is not how they played defense this year. They blitzed like there was no tomorrow for 16 consecutive games. Then, when it counted the most, they reverted to blitzing to around 15-18% of the game.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by GoSeahawks

I live in Portland, Or and it's the same way. My brother and I have gone to the same sports bar to watch Hawks games since we moved here about 5 years ago. Since we've gone to this bar we always have to ask to get the Hawks game put on the TV because everyone else is watching their Steelers, Packers, 49ers, Raiders or Cowboys. In these five years at this sports bar there has been ONE group besides my brother and I that actually watch the Hawks.

Yesterday I show up and get my normal seat right before the game. The place was absolutley packed with die hard Seahawks fans. Everybody had their Ken Hamlin, Hasslehawk and Joe Jurahoweverthehellyouspellit jerseys on. I wanted to walk up to every single one and punch them in the face. I'm sure most of them don't even know who the guy is on the back of their shirt. This reigon is packed with the biggest bandwagon hoppers in the nation. It makes me sick and I hate having to prove to people that I was still with the team through their bad decades. lol...

This happens every year, in every sport. No matter the base size of their loyal (re: long term) fans, once a championship is in sight, their numbers swell until they lose the big game, or if they win, until the playoffs the following season when some other team looks to be the new favorite.

It's enough walking through malls up here and looking into sports stores and seeing 10x as much Seahawks stuff for sale with all the bandwagon fans in trying stuff on. Until two years ago, it was nearly impossible to find so much as an Alexander jersey for sale locally and maybe one style of hat. I guess in the long run it just makes identification of bandwagon fans that much easier for me, but I've just gotten used to it.

[Aylmar]

Originally Posted by TroyF

The Steelers converted 4 consecutive third and longs where Denver rushed 4 or less every play.

Only on the near pick by Bailey and the TD run by Bettis did they line up 8 in the box and rush more than four men. It was consistent and it was ll throughout the first half.

The interesting thing is that when they did rush 6+, the success was much higher. Bailey nearly had the INT. The second TD pass to Wilson should have been picked off. It was a horrible decision and a pretty poor throw. Just horrible defensive backfield play.

They did hit the first TD to Wilson on a blitz, but they only sent more than 4 one or two times the entire drive.

Simply put, that is not how they played defense this year. They blitzed like there was no tomorrow for 16 consecutive games. Then, when it counted the most, they reverted to blitzing to around 15-18% of the game.

Wilson didn't catch two TD passes. Are you talking about the TD pass to Ward? If so, I would ask you to show me where it "should have been picked off". You mean by Ferguson, the guy at the apex of his jump with the ball sailing about a foot over his outstretched fingertips? Or by the linebacker in front of Ferguson that never had a real shot at the ball? It's got to be the TD pass to Ward, because there wasn't a defensive back within five yards of Wilson when he caught his TD because Champ bit on the inside move.

[ISiddiqui]

Actually the ball went right through Ferguson's hands. Not a foot over them.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by TroyF

The second TD pass to Wilson should have been picked off. It was a horrible decision and a pretty poor throw. Just horrible defensive backfield play.

I will strongly disagree with your perception of that particular play. (Ward TD pass) That was a great, great throw. Given the circumstances, it meant more because they just got a rushing TD taken away. What a way for Ben to flex his talents...throwing to a place where nobody except his guy would be able to catch it. (I recall the ball not being that playable for the defense. if somebody can show video of the replay to refresh my memory, then do so please).

Course, some say Montana was throwing out of bounds too.

[Aylmar]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Actually the ball went right through Ferguson's hands. Not a foot over them.

It did not go "right through his hands". Ferguson never laid a finger on the ball. It went above his hands, even after he jumped.

I'm adding this note to let you know that I rewatched the play just a few minutes ago. The ball does go well above Ferguson's hands, but the main reason is that he horribly mistimed his jump. Ben makes a subtle motion with his throwing arm that throws Ferguson off balance and then floats the ball right over his outstetched hands to Ward in the back of the endzone. Ferguson can't recover from his hesitation about what Ben is going to do with the ball in time to make the play. Anyway, after watching it a couple more times, I still don't believe that the ball should have been picked off. He mistimed his jump, sure, but it still would have been a great play by Ferguson if he had managed to come down with it after all. When I think of "should have been picked" I think of the DB actually managing to get a hand on the ball.

Carry on.