NFL Playoffs

[Sonny]

Two great games today....

NFC title game: Carolina at Seattle
AFC title game: Pittsburgh at Denver

Here's hoping for two more great games next Sunday...

[Dan Wishengrad]

Excitement is building to a fever pitch here in Rain City. Tickets go on sale for the game at 10am, are expected to sell out in less than 5 minutes -- last week's game sold out in 10 minutes.

I got to go to our only other conference title game down in LA back in the early 80s, and it was not a fun experience getting drubbed by the Raiders and abused by their fans. Home field is really really special!

GO SEAHAWKS!!!!!!!

[laxfan25]

The ending of that Pittsburgh Indy game was totally bizzare! Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. Vanderjactoff, one of the cockiest guys in the NFL, looked like he was in tears, and is going to have one LONG offseason. He missed the uprights by about 25 yards!
Jerome Bettis is breathing a sigh of relief. He could have easily had his last NFL play be a fumble that cost the Steelers the game. I thought for sure that guy was heading untouched into the enzone - give Big Ben props for a heads-up play. Along the same line, kudos to Ben Watson for running down Champ Bailey on the interception - that was AWESOME speed for a tightend, and if there had been better camera angle, NE would have gotten the ball back.
Overall, the officiating has been shockingly bad! A no-call on offsides/false start in the Indy-Pitt game - what was that all about? The call on the interception by Palumalu? Horrible! Pass Interference on NE early in the game, when the Denver guy actually did most of the shoving. A 40 yd+ bad call, gives the ball to the Broncs on the 1.5 yard line. NE's miscues cost them the game, but I thought they were the better team, and definitley show the meaning behind Never Give Up! Brady is a competitor.
Lastly - Go Panthers!! Keep that road streak going (although it is that much tougher with Foster out). I don't mind them being an underdog all week - just come out with the win!

[Dan Wishengrad]

Agree completely on the officiating in those two games, but objectively both Pittsburgh and Denver dominated their games and deserved to win. I have felt all season that Indy was overrated -- very good team but not dominant -- and that they were due to take a fall in the post-season.

Has Peyton Manning EVER won a big game? He sure hasn't in college or the pros in my recollection. Manning's post-game implication that his O-line was to blame for the loss for "poor protection" was pretty classless in my book, regardless of his "I want to be a good teammate but..." disclaimer. He was falt-out terrible in that first half, and Pittsburgh just punched the Colts in the mouth and Indy had no answer.

My predictions for next weekend: Denver over Pittsburgh in a rout, and Seattle over Carolina in an OT thriller...

[Kyle Berggren]

There's been a general lack of great officiating all season, but you hope to not deal with it in the playoffs.... I don't think the interception, on what should have been a delay of game in the Bears game was mentioned, and I'm still confused in regards to the Steelers interception/knee that was an incomplete....

I understand the 'football move' concept, and that the middle of the field is not the sideline, but I still compare it to previous games... Such as the Shockey TD against Seattle, when he was all but knocked out by a safety, maybe skimmed a toe to get 2 feet down (I don't think so by the way, his leg never stopped moving), but was called a TD. Now, I would say the catch, and roll was a lot more of a catch than the, catch, get put on my butt TD.

Pit did deserve that win, they overloaded the tackles very well. I've never seen Manning hit so many times, they'll be tough to stop for anyone, including the Broncos. Carolina will be a very tough matchup for the Hawks this weekend, but our secondary played well, and will hopefully keep it up this weekend. The biggest question I have is how many turnovers can we (the Hawks) prevent next weekend, and will Alexander run well? We'll find out....

[Brent Burns]

My predictions for next weekend: Denver over Pittsburgh in a rout, and Seattle over Carolina in an OT thriller...

I am jumping on your bandwagon as I am picking Denver pitting against Seattle in the Super Bowl.

[ZagGrad]

First of all, it always amazes me how a visiting team can win in Denver with the altitude change and all. Second of all, my whole family is from Pittsburgh, so there's no wonder who I'm rooting for. Being an old Seahawks fan during the Largent and Bosworth era AND living in Spokane, I have to root for the hawks. Plus, I hate Carolina. With that in mind, I take Pittsburgh and Seattle in Bowl 40 with Pittsburgh winning in overtime 24-21.

[tamu33]

I want to be a good teammate and say that our protcection had issues and that our crummy kicker missed what was supposed to be an automatic fg.

Good ol' Peyton... can't take the blame. Yes he was sacked a whopping 5 times but when he wasn't sacked he did miss some pretty wide open targets. And his throwing problems made it harder for E. James to run. I gotta put this one on Peyton.

My prediction for SB 40: Carolina vs Pitt. with Pitt winning by 10 because they will shut down Steve Smith.

[MF]

You got to go with Denver and Seattle. They have both got a tough one next weekend. If Seattle plays anything like they did on Thursday there is no way they beat Carolina. Denver and Pittsburg both played well but Denver at home you got to take them in a close one.

[MF]

I'm pretty sure it was Saturday the Seahawks played. I'm still recovering from the many beers and the many dollars that disappeared at the Broncos game.

[Dan Wishengrad]

If Seattle plays anything like they did on Thursday there is no way they beat Carolina.

Okay Marc, your implication is that the Seahawks played badly. Exactly what game were you watching?

[asulax]

being a colts fan, and not missing very many games....the o line did have its worst game since NE in the conference final 3 years ago...manning did miss the wrs but it looked like they didnt run the right play....and yes vandy did what he always does in the playoffs....choke....what manning said was true...but uncalled for...another disappointing season...but there is always next year.....

[CATLAX MAN]

If Seattle plays anything like they did on Thursday there is no way they beat Carolina.

Okay Marc, your implication is that the Seahawks played badly. Exactly what game were you watching?

I've got to somewhat agree with Marc. The Seahawks really didn't look that good. Washington had nothing - a truly pathetic team - so it was a matter of Seattle not beating themselves. However, if they were in against another team without Alexander, it could have very easily been a much different story.

Now, I'm not sure that Carolina has what it takes either, but if they were paired up against any of the AFC teams from last week, the Seahawks may have been in big trouble.

[MF]

All I am implying is that when have you seen the Seahawks win a playoff game while giving the ball over three times. It's is great to see them get a playoff win. I am a Washington native and I was 5 years old the last time they won a playoff game, the only playoff win before Saturday. All I can say the Seahawks are a better team than they looked like on Saturday. I don't see any of the four teams left turning the ball over 3 times and winning this weekend.

[shrekjr]

FYI - NFL says the interception that was overturned in the Pittsburgh game was the referee's judgement and is being questioned. Here's the article. You might have to sign up for a free account to read it???

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... f43bf.html