2007 NFL Playoffs thread

[ScoopBrady]

With 8 seconds on the clock why didn't the Chargers run one more play and try to get another 5-7 yards before attempting the kick? Is it because of the inexperienced quarterback?

[Zeppo]

That's not a very bad decision. Anywhere between the 32 and the 37 should always be a four-down area, no matter the distance. If you get a touchback on the putn you've gained 12 yds, less than half a 'change of field position's' worth of yards. A punt should be at least one 'change of field position,' about 30 to 35 yds net. If you miss the field goal, they get the ball outside their own 40, only as good as or worse than a kick-off that goes out of bounds. Early in the ball game like that, why chance the filed position? If you go for it but come up short, say gain only 6 yds, you give them the ball about where you'd expect them to get it after a kick off.

Sure, punters are pretty good at pooching it, but not consistently good enough at that distance, I don't think. Heck, I'd fire the guy if he didn't go for it there!

The replay challenge was a poor one, but as has been said, the worst part of that play was the interception itself; dude should've just knocked it down.

[lexbur]

With 8 seconds on the clock why didn't the Chargers run one more play and try to get another 5-7 yards before attempting the kick? Is it because of the inexperienced quarterback?

PLUS, don't forget the Patriots got that penalty for taking their helmets off on the field after the missed FG. If there had been no time left on the clock the game wouldn't have ended on a defensive penalty, the Chargers would have gotten another crack at the FG 15 yards closer, ala that idiot Dwayne Ruud a few years ago. Browns fans remember it well.

Belichick would've blown his cork! Can you imagine?

[wco81]

I heard Marty has one more year left on his contract. Team is young but you figure they have a certain window before the competition, especially within the division, catch up and/or your team isn't playing at peak level (look at what happened to the Panthers after revelations about their SB team being on the juice).

Is this the second or third year that the Chargers lost a playoff game at home? Given his history, it might not be an unreasonable decision that they need someone else to get them over the hump.

BTW, I hear all this talk about how the Chargers blew it because they're so much more talented than the Pats. Well Marty's teams have always been really physical and big. But that hasn't always been the way to win in the NFL. Look how long the Steelers tried to win with physically-dominant play under Cowher and they only broke through one time.

[XXXIV]

Funny picture of Marty getting a "gatorade" shower on ProFootballTalk.

http://www.profootballtalk.com

...Its funny cause its true...

It is a very funny picture, but I feel bad for him. His coaching didn't lose that game. His idiot players did.

Thats what I got out of the picture...That it was the players burning him...

[Brando70]

With 8 seconds on the clock why didn't the Chargers run one more play and try to get another 5-7 yards before attempting the kick? Is it because of the inexperienced quarterback?

No, I think it was the lack of TOs. You're cutting it pretty close there and risking a sack or someone not getting out of bounds. I think kicking was the right decision. A 54-yarder is not out of the question there.

I don't think the fumble review was that bad of a call. It was a key play. His staff may have told him they had a chance at it.

The Chargers did have more talent than the Pats, and used their talent well. They really punched New England in the mouth. But they made serious mental mistakes that gave the Pats a window to get back into the game. On second thought, that probably does reflect on the coaching staffs, as New England never gave up despite not playing very well for most of the game.

WCO, I would disagree on the physical dominance point. The past few SB winners have been very physical teams. All three of the Patriots teams had very hardnosed defenses that punished opponents. Pittsburgh obviously fits that mold, as do the Tampa and Baltimore Super Bowl squads. The Rams were really the last "finesse" team to win it all, and even they had a great rushing game and a defense that could produce a lot of turnovers.

[Brando70]

...Its funny cause its true...

It is a very funny picture, but I feel bad for him. His coaching didn't lose that game. His idiot players did.

Thats what I got out of the picture...That it was the players burning him...

DOH! I obviously missed the whole point

[ScoopBrady]

With 8 seconds on the clock why didn't the Chargers run one more play and try to get another 5-7 yards before attempting the kick? Is it because of the inexperienced quarterback?

No, I think it was the lack of TOs. You're cutting it pretty close there and risking a sack or someone not getting out of bounds. I think kicking was the right decision. A 54-yarder is not out of the question there.

But that's my point. A guy like Brady would put the ball where the receiver wouuld go out of bounds and would get rid of the ball if the pressure was on. An inexperienced player like Rivers might be tempted to throw the ball where the receiver wouldn't get out of bounds or might even take the sack. 54 yards is doable but not very likely.

[wco81]

Well before the Steelers, the previous two winners were the Pats, who were suppose to be overmatched last week.

Anyways, the Chargers and Ravens are both out, upset at home after earning a bye.

Bears are known more for speed than physicality on defense. Same with the Colts. Pats I think are more in the middle and they've been able to physically manhandle teams, especially the Colts.

Maybe Saints have some big guys and aren't noted for speed on defense but that defense blows.

In this day and age, 270-pound or lighter DEs and LBs can still compete with 350-pound guards and tackles.

I really wonder if someday, they really crack down on HGH and other hard-to-detect substances, how quickly the trend for bigger players will reverse, at least for awhile.

[bkrich83]

I heard Marty has one more year left on his contract. Team is young but you figure they have a certain window before the competition, especially within the division, catch up and/or your team isn't playing at peak level (look at what happened to the Panthers after revelations about their SB team being on the juice).

Is this the second or third year that the Chargers lost a playoff game at home? Given his history, it might not be an unreasonable decision that they need someone else to get them over the hump.

BTW, I hear all this talk about how the Chargers blew it because they're so much more talented than the Pats. Well Marty's teams have always been really physical and big. But that hasn't always been the way to win in the NFL. Look how long the Steelers tried to win with physically-dominant play under Cowher and they only broke through one time.

If you fire Marty. Who are you going to replace him with that's better? This team has come a long way since the previous decade of not winning anything. Why would you take a young team that's just starting to reach it's potential, and ruin continuity by hiring a new coach. What could you possibly hope to achieve?

This game was not the coaches fault. The Chargers had a good game plan, and the players failed to execute, while making ridiculously stupid mental mistakes on top of everything else. Something they haven't done all season. Looking at the game, it was quite obvious to me, which team had been there and played in these kinds of games before, and which team hadn't. This was simply a matter of a young team, getting overhyped and not executing, and then letting their emotions get the better of them and making mental mistakes. Vince Lombardi wouldn't have been able to change that.

Also, I don't know if you've seen the records of first time playoff QB's in their first game. But it's not very good. Rivers played better than the numbers indicated (several drops killed him, and Jackson not dead legging after catching the ball in the back of the endzone), but he did have a crucial interception, and took a couple of sacks he probably shouldn't have.

As for not running a play with 8 seconds and no timeout. Fumbled snap or a sack, and it's game over. Patriots coverage was going to make it extremely difficult to throw the ball to the boundary. Not to mention 54 yards is in Kaeding's range and the wind was at his back. He simply did not hit the ball very well, which was quite obvious by the rotation of the ball after he kicked it.

[Feanor]

5-13 isn't a fluke.

[bkrich83]

5-13 isn't a fluke.

Nor does it have anything to do with this game.

I can see him going ultra-conservative in some of the other games. But that wasn't the case in this game. The gameplan, and the game management was sound.

Ernest Byner's fumble in 87 wasn't Marty's fault. And John Elway has victimized more than a few teams with late game heroics.

Say what you want about Marty, but you can hardly lay this loss at his feet. Nor would you be helping the devlopment of your young team by ruining the continuity of this team. Not to mention who out there is going to get more out of this team than Marty?

Last time the Chargers fired a head coach under similiar circumstances they had a decade of 4-12 type seasons. The turnaround seen by this team in his tenure can not be denied.

[Brando70]

BK, I totally agree with you. Schottenheimer has definitely tightened up in some of his games and gotten too conservative, but Sunday, the strategy against the Pats was very sound. His players simply failed to maintain their poise or protect the football.

All coaches make mistakes during games, I don't think he did anything unusual (compared to Andy Reid on Saturday, who arguably cost his team the game with his decisions). You just don't fire someone after a season like the Chargers just had unless you have no idea how to run a football team.

Which does fit the San Diego ownership.

[bkrich83]

You just don't fire someone after a season like the Chargers just had unless you have no idea how to run a football team.

Which does fit the San Diego ownership.

Which is exactly what concerns me.

[Kissrox]

With 8 seconds on the clock why didn't the Chargers run one more play and try to get another 5-7 yards before attempting the kick? Is it because of the inexperienced quarterback?

PLUS, don't forget the Patriots got that penalty for taking their helmets off on the field after the missed FG. If there had been no time left on the clock the game wouldn't have ended on a defensive penalty, the Chargers would have gotten another crack at the FG 15 yards closer, ala that idiot Dwayne Ruud a few years ago. Browns fans remember it well.

Belichick would've blown his cork! Can you imagine?

True, but the chances that the ref would have thrown the flag with no time left on the clock would have been slim to none. The reason they threw the flag was becasue there were 4 seconds left. Once time expires, you can run around naked and the ref's don't care. Like when the Pats won their first Super Bowl over the Rams. They stormed the field but the refs ran the opposite way.

[kevinpars]

The Chargers could fire Marty and hire a proven Super Bowl Winner who has a better post season winning percentage. And I would bet that Barry Switzer would jump at the chance.

Why is there no heat on Brian Billick?? They were a home team who lost against a team they were supposed to beat. And unlike Marty, he was running his own offense and had a QB who has plenty of experience and even QB'd his team to the Super Bowl. Like all of the great prognosticators have said, a defense like Indy's doesn't just get better overnight. So why couldn't the Ravens get into the endzone in a game in front of the home folks??

[Templehorn]

I heard Marty has one more year left on his contract. Team is young but you figure they have a certain window before the competition, especially within the division, catch up and/or your team isn't playing at peak level (look at what happened to the Panthers after revelations about their SB team being on the juice).

Is this the second or third year that the Chargers lost a playoff game at home? Given his history, it might not be an unreasonable decision that they need someone else to get them over the hump.

BTW, I hear all this talk about how the Chargers blew it because they're so much more talented than the Pats. Well Marty's teams have always been really physical and big. But that hasn't always been the way to win in the NFL. Look how long the Steelers tried to win with physically-dominant play under Cowher and they only broke through one time.

If you fire Marty. Who are you going to replace him with that's better?

Easy answer. And this is no joke. Ditka.

If they hired Ditka, none of that s*** that went down on Sunday with the bolts would have occured. Marty is known as a dictator type, but if you can't back that up with any Superbowl wins, the players don't buy into it. Whereas Ditka, everyone on that team would be afarid of him. And he's proven he can coach in this NFL and win a superbowl.

It would also be a great PR move for the chargers if they did that.

[bkrich83]

I heard Marty has one more year left on his contract. Team is young but you figure they have a certain window before the competition, especially within the division, catch up and/or your team isn't playing at peak level (look at what happened to the Panthers after revelations about their SB team being on the juice).

Is this the second or third year that the Chargers lost a playoff game at home? Given his history, it might not be an unreasonable decision that they need someone else to get them over the hump.

BTW, I hear all this talk about how the Chargers blew it because they're so much more talented than the Pats. Well Marty's teams have always been really physical and big. But that hasn't always been the way to win in the NFL. Look how long the Steelers tried to win with physically-dominant play under Cowher and they only broke through one time.

If you fire Marty. Who are you going to replace him with that's better?

Easy answer. And this is no joke. Ditka.

If they hired Ditka, none of that s*** that went down on Sunday with the bolts would have occured. Marty is known as a dictator type, but if you can't back that up with any Superbowl wins, the players don't buy into it. Whereas Ditka, everyone on that team would be afarid of him. And he's proven he can coach in this NFL and win a superbowl.

It would also be a great PR move for the chargers if they did that.

Hire Ditka? Why so he can trade our entire team for Ricky Williams? Or so he can have a heart attack on the sideline? The game has long since passed him by.

The players have bought in to Marty. They wouldn't have been 14-2 if they hadn't.

[RobVarak]

Easy answer. And this is no joke. Ditka.

Egad! I think Ditka's abilities as a head coach have been thoroughly proven to be average at best. Obviously, I love Coach as much as the next Bears fan. He's an icon (although as muc for his playing as for his coaching), but he's never won anything once he was stripped of the brilliant mid-late 80's defense.

[XXXIV]

LOL...Im feeling right at home...

[ddtrane]

I've been watching the Billick Ravens for some time now and the loss falls on the shoulder of BB. As I've been telling my coworkers BB has no offensive imagination. He's the 21st century Woody Hayes, 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Run, run, pass. No screens and no draw plays, wtf?

The Ravens is where qbs come and die. Scott Mitchel, Stoney Case, Eric Zeier, Elvis Grbac, Tony Banks, and now Steve McNair and there may be more I'm not naming.

Baltimore will continue not to win anymore due to not resigning Trent Dilfer, a SuperBowl winning qb. They will suffer like the BoSox for trading Babe Ruth to the yankees.

[pk500]

Why is there no heat on Brian Billick?? They were a home team who lost against a team they were supposed to beat.

Because Brian Billick is a genius. Just ask him.

Take care,
PK

[wco81]

Not to defend Billick but he's at least won a SB.

Yeah I know, that was an awesome defense but I remember the Ravens shocking the Giants with some big plays early to get a lead which made that defense that much tougher.

Plus, the team crashed for a season or two and they rebuilt it into a contender.

[Brando70]

Easy answer. And this is no joke. Ditka.

Are we talking full-size Ditka or mini Ditka?


Okay, prediction time:

--Bears over Saints, 24-20. The Bears again show their inconsistency by winning their 15th game of the season.

--Pats over Colts, 34-33. Adam Vinatieri hits what appears to be the game-winner (his fourth of the day), but Brady pulls another game out of his butt and sets up the winning FG from Grabowski as time expires.

[AJColossal]

--Bears over Saints, 24-20. The Bears again show their inconsistency by winning their 15th game of the season.

Sounds good to me.

This is the most excited I've been about a game in years. Much more than the Seahawks game, where it was only the most nervous I'd been about a game in years.