The Divisional Playoffs Thread

[Chief Bstn]

I'd rather have games like this than blowoffs, especially in the playoffs.

[dkgojackets]

LT all class skipping the postgame handshake

[Leak2Troupe03]

Yeah, LT looked extremely pissed and just basically showed the opposite of what everybody had been saying of his class. I just wanted to be the first to say this.

I have a funny feeling Indy will beat New England next week on a game-winning field goal from Vinatieri against his former team.

[sprew8]

LT has the rights to be pissed

[detroitbasketball]

sprew8 said:

LT has the rights to be pissed

Anybody on that team has the right to be pissed about that game, but that doesn't mean they can abandon their class and skip congratulating the other team.

[Chief Bstn]

Doesn't have the right to blow off something like that though. He'll be getting criticized for a while for that.

[dkgojackets]

notrelame said:

Doesn't have the right to blow off something like that though. He'll be getting criticized for a while for that.

And he should. You just have to show better sportsmanship than walking right through people trying to shake hands.

[Cerrano39]

Death and Taxes.

Brady and Belichick.

[Freak93]

I think LT was mad at the celebration Ellis Hobbs did. If you guys noticed he was shaking hands with some other guys, he was just mad at Ellis. I have not lost any respect for him.

[Cerrano39]

freak93 said:

I think LT was mad at the celebration Ellis Hobbs did. If you guys noticed he was shaking hands with some other guys, he was just mad at Ellis. I have not lost any respect for him.

He was mad because the Patriots stole Merriman's lights out dance. Did Merriwoman even play? What a non-factor. Bet he's shaving his head and heading to Tijuana for another supply of steroids. And I'm sorry, players don't have rights on their little dances. Oh, and Merriman can now cozy up with Jason Taylor on the couch and watch the playoffs.

As for Tomlinson, I understand he's upset he lost. He shouldn't be happy. He got the ball 8 times in the second half! Since Cam Cameron calls the plays on offense, and Wade Phillips does on defense, and the great Marty "manages" the game, his head coach did a pretty poor job doing whatever it is he does. But, to claim the Patriots are not classy and get that from their head coach is ridiculous.

But, whatever your feeling is, the same holds true throughout sports. Losers sit at home and whine; winners do as they please.

[Leak2Troupe03]

I agree with Cerrano here. LT has no right to be angry at somebody for stealing a dance and taunting after the game. The Patriots are going to the AFC Championship and just knocked off one of the top teams in the NFL on the road, they ought to be happy.

The argument could go both ways, because I could also see it as a sign of disrespect. Patriots cant really say much though, due to the Belichick situations after a few games this year between tossing camera men to meetings at midfield with Mangini.

[Cerrano39]

Ya, well if the Charger's took care of their home field in the first place this wouldn't happen. I mean you can't expect a team that wins a road game in the playoffs to not celebrate. Personally, I was more upset at his shot at Belichick. I know there was that whole situation with the camera man, but the guy was in his way, and with all the hoopla up here about Belichick vs. Mangini he was just trying to give the guy a hug. He apologized afterwards. It isn't as if he knocked the guy to the ground anyway, he moved him out of the way. Now thinking about it, pretty polite for a hobo.

[Gary]

Grossman was billed as the worst Quarterback remaining in the playoff's, Grossman in my opinion had one of the best all around game of any quarterback in the divisional round.

Rex responded when he needed to, and made the plays that the Bears needed to win the game.

[Leak2Troupe03]

Not taking away credit from Rex, but Manning, and Brady were playing the two top defenses in the NFL. Rex threw against a completely beat-up secondary and still didnt have too big of a game.

I hope he proves all the critics wrong because he is a UF alum, but I just have a bad feeling for him.

[Chief Bstn]

garygb said:

Grossman was billed as the worst Quarterback remaining in the playoff's, Grossman in my opinion had one of the best all around game of any quarterback in the divisional round.

Rex responded when he needed to, and made the plays that the Bears needed to win the game.

Yeah, because Seattle is tremendous and one game defines the guys abilities, right?

[detroitbasketball]

Leak is right. Seattle had the worst secondary, by far, of any playoff team.

Rex is so inconsistent too, he could just as easily go 10-30 with 3 picks next week.

[Cerrano39]

I'm sure he's going around to all his friends today, "I really fooled that loan officer with my pump fake!"

[Gary]

BSTN: Never said that, stating my opinion, if Grossman doesn't hit Davis with a 30 yard completion on 3rd and 10 in overtime, Robbie Gould never kicks the winning field goal, he made the play when it mattered, and you really can't deny that.

DB: I whole heartedly agree, but with all the media surrounding him for the past two weeks, the newpapers (a physcologist even wrote a article on what is wrong with Rex and how he should fix it), I think he did a good job considering everything.

What it boils down to is that Rex is the Quarterback of a 13-3 team in the NFC Championship game, and like I've said before, he will learn to be a more consistant passer as he matures on the playing field, but if his 7 games of a rating of 100 or higher is a glimps into a possible future, isn't it worth a little wait?

Peyton Manning threw 100 interception in his first 5 full season, he has thrown 39 in the following 4 seasons. Now I'm not saying Rex Grossman is Peyton Manning, but being a Quarterback in the NFL is a position that takes time to adjust to. You can't label a player in the NFL after only 1 full season of duty. Though 17-6 in 23 career starts isn't that bad.

Anyways, I think the Bears' biggest concern is thier defense, not the guy under center.

[Cerrano39]

In the games Grossman had a rating of 100 or more, and including his Week 1 when it was 98.6, here are the following scores:

26-0
34-7
37-6
40-7
41-10
38-20
42-27
34-31

5 of these games, the defense played incredibly well, keeping their offense on the field, tiring the other defense out, creating situations with very little pressure for Rex. Not too hard of an environment to succeed in.

As well, his rating by month has gone 100.9, 81.0, 57.1, and 64.4. As the defense gets worse (and I know there's been injuries, but every team has them), so does he. I'm not saying there is causation, but definately some correlation (although I'm not making a graph).

Rex may turn out to be a good quarterback some day. I think he is at the moment a product of Chicago's good team (as many young QBs are). What I'm trying to say, is I'd be just as worried about Rex as the defense. I don't follow the Bears, nor do I pretend to, but I'd much rather put the games in the hands of Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs than Rex.

[Gary]

As would I, I just dont like it when people say he sucks when he has had just 1 full season of play time, it's unfair really.