posted Jan 9, 2009

I don't see SD's line holding up against Harrison and Woodley. Sproles may well get hammered by the 5 linebackers the Steelers have (Polamalu hits like a linebacker, he totally counts). Not discounting his X factor, but I think the Steelers take it.

Arizona will be destroyed in every facet of the game by the Panthers. All they can hope is that Larry Fitz pulls something out of the bag for them.

The Giants/Philly game should be the best one of the weekend. I think the Giants win a close game, but I'm really not sure. Should be fun.

Titans/Ravens will be an all out war. Close call again, but I think the Titans should be able to eke it out because of superior special teams play.

Panthers/Giants
Titans/Steelers

I'm going for a Panthers/Steelers Superbowl, although Panthers/Titans would be great. Anyone seen the Double Trouble website by Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams? It's hilarious, aimed at 'Smash and Dash'. Link below...

http://www.nameswecanbelievein.com/

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posted Jan 9, 2009

Martin Gough, ( bbc sport ) is your sport american football ?? Could've fooled me !! I'm sorry to say, but like most peoples comments, they tend to disagree with your predictions. And so do I !! I am with Southy on this one. Steelers to meet the Giants in the Superbowl. Ravens will beat the Titans ( Titans must be the worst 13-3 team in NFL history ) Steelers to edge the Ravens in a low scorer !! If the Titans do meet the Steelers, Those 2 Titan players who everyone saw on Sky jumping on the ' terrible towel ' will have that rammed down their throats ( sorry, you don't do that sort of thing on national tv ... ) Cardinals cannot win an argument on the road let alone a play off game in Carolina, Giants will beat the Eagles, and should beat the Panthers ( again ) in New York. Overall, the Giants to edge the Steelers. Well, that's what I have bet on !!!

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posted Jan 9, 2009

How does this guy have the BBC's American Football blog? He knows nothing!

I actually agree with his picks for the NFC, the game between the Ravens and the Titans is very hard to call. I can see OT in that one but I think the Titans can do it on home field.

But as a Steelers fan, I'm going to take issue with his call on this game. SD by 14 points?!
If you offered San Diego 14 points in TOTAL for that game now, I think they might even take it! Sproles is quick, but we have the best covering Special Teams in the league, and the fastest Line-backers on the outside. If he gets into the secondary Polamalu will munch him. And he's certainly not going to go up the middle! He won't be a factor, at the end of the day he's not a proven player like Tomlinson. I'm much more concerned about Rivers form, but I can't see him enjoying the conditions or LeBeau's blitz scheming that much.

The most annoying thing in the article though is his dismissal of our offence and the ridiculous labelling of a ring-wearing quarterback as a novice. Rothlisberger knows how to do it in the play-offs and his 'inconsistency' is due to our horrendous Offensive Line. Fortunately the Chargers secondary is nearly as horrendous to balance that out. We'll win by controlling the football in the conditions - Parker is pumped for and due a big game and Ben will play action or pass on the run for big gains. And ultimately, the chargers offence will run into the Steel Curtain. 20-10.

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posted Jan 9, 2009

NO WAY DO SAN DIEGO WIN BY 14 or more lol, Steelers win by the biggest margin or 5-6. If Chargers win itl b by 3 ish.
Ravens by a couple, Defence makes enough plays to put a more experienced Flacco in position to win.
Arizona will keep it close 4 a while, and then i think Carolina break it open late on in the game.
NY Giants, beat the Eagles, they can do enough against that Eagles defence, with BJ back.

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posted Jan 10, 2009

Backing San Diego to win by 14???

Either Martin has had a premonition or he's been been drinking the BBC bar dry this week. He does realise this game is in Pittsburgh - in JANUARY - without Tomlinson and against the NFL's number 1 ranked defense.

As for the ridiculous Roethlisberger comment, if Big Ben is a novice then so must Rivers as they were both drafted in the same year. In fact Big Ben has been a starter since Day 1 while Rivers was a backup to Drew Brees his first two seasons so he's far more a novice than his Steelers counterpart. Delve a little deeper like someone else pointed out and you'll realise his 17-15 TD/INT ratio is far more down to one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. It can neither run nor pass block and is easily the Steelers biggest weakness. Anyone would be a sitting duck behind with that lack of protection. For me its why they will come a cropper eventually as Baltimore and Tennessee both have outstanding defences should Pittsburgh get to the AFC Championship.

Big Ben has won more games as a starting QB in his first five seasons than any other QB in NFL history. A 51-20 record, a career passer rating of just under 90 and a Super Bowl title with the chance of another in the next few weeks is doing quite nicely don't you think.

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posted Jan 10, 2009

"As for the ridiculous Roethlisberger comment, if Big Ben is a novice then so must Rivers".

Eli Manning, last years superbowl winning QB with the Giants was round 1 pick 1 in the same draft. Big Ben is also the youngest ever QB to lead a team to the superbowl and win, so ease up on the 'novice' comments.

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posted Jan 10, 2009

ManUand Wasps

If you had actually bothered to read the entire thread you would see I was challenging Martin's assumption that Big Ben was a novice, not agreeing with it. You have taken what I said completely out of context.

Martin was calling Big Ben a novice (which he clearly ain't with his record) yet didn't tar Rivers with the same brush when he has two years less starting experience. Why attack one but turn a blind eye on the other? Very poor and inconsistent don't you think?

I'm also quite well aware Eli was also taken in that same draft but as we are talking about San Diego and Pittsburgh I can't see how Peyton's little brother is relevant in this discussion.

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posted Jan 11, 2009

Oh my god some people really do think they know everything.

Oh Rivers is a novice, oh the scary Steelers defense will shut out the Chargers.

Rivers may have less starting experience, but Rivers has last year under his belt. This guy got the Chargers to the Championship game almost on his own (no LT and Gates was missing). He almost beat the Patriots and Brady in their own back yard!! What has Big Ben done??????

Roethlisberger has much to prove and is coming of a concussion and does not have the options that Rivers has in his offense.

Steelers are big fav in my opinion but only if the keep the chargers under 20, now way they themselves can relay on an average offense to win them a game where the chargers score more than that.

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posted Jan 11, 2009

Dandie.

Again you are another one completely missing the point of what I'm trying to say.

I'm just pointing out the inconsistency from M.Gough's original article.

If M.Gough is going to call Big Ben a novice then he has to do the same for Rivers, who has two years less starting experience under his belt. He didn't. Why not? It seems to me Gough had a strong Chargers bias in his article. That's what I'm most disappointed with.

I'm not trying to imply Rivers is a novice. Far from it. Neither QB is a novice imo.

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