If a miracle occurs in the last 7 minutes of the AFC game today, a moderator can delete this. But I wouldn't expect a miracle.

Patriots and Eagles--very Americana.

~Adam

A Keystone State Super Bowl.

Indeed. Colts fans everywhere are crying out in pain.

[ January 18, 2005, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: MIB ]

MIB, this link takes me to Yahoo's home page.

If Atlanta wins on Sunday, I can make this bold prediction for next year's NFC title game (home team in caps).

New Orleans over PHILADELPHIA for the NFC South sweep.

You know there HAS to be at least one carpetbagger, gravy train... ATL fan out there somewhere who will rear their ugly head....

going once... going twice...

I think it'll be a Pennsylvania clash(can we get this game played at Beaver Stadium?).

But a part of me would love to see the exact opposite.....I mean, wouldn't you love to see what Michael Vick would/wouldn't do against a Belichick defense?

No. I'm sick of hearing about both, talented though they are.

If Belichick can fool Manning's offense, (who is arguably one of the best audible callers around) I venture to say he would toy with Vick's head.

[ January 17, 2005, 07:15 PM: Message edited by: phillyrunner ]

Worked fine for me, Jim.

I get the same problem with the link - sends me to yahoo.

Can any of you head back to Barrow Street this Sunday?

I'm also getting the Yahoo home page from that link. Very weird.

Weird. It works fine with me. I'll edit it and redo it just to see what happens. :confused:

Edited: Well, it worked fine after I edited it. Maybe if you don't have Quicktime installed it takes you to Yahoo. If that's not the reason, I don't know what is.

[ January 18, 2005, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: MIB ]

Hmmm, thats odd, took me to some strange "Judges m4m messageboard."

GO FALCONS!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's weird how almost none of the "experts" is picking Pittsburgh, even though they are 16-1 and have beaten NE head to head. It wouldn't surprise me to see the Pats win, but so many people simply assume Pitt has little chance.

i'm a pats fan, but i had to put a wager on the steelers gettin' 3 points at home...

Barely any of these experts were picking the Pats in the last round either and we all know how that turned out. That said, I think ther Pats will win too.

My pick is New England as well. Not that Pittsburgh can't win, but I think they've fallen to earth enough that it's a pretty evenly matched game. I'm sure they won't get a 21-0 first quarter lead again. And Roethlisberger has been a lot less efficient in his last few starts.

I've been wondering if his thumb is hurting him more than he has let on. It sure looked like it last week. If it isn't, the Steelers have a very good chance of being victorious; but if Ben is still hurtin', it's lights out, Black & Gold.

They haven't lost since September! If that's falling, where do I sign up? wink

I certainly see this game as even but am amazed at how everyone thinks Pittsburgh has greatly slipped while ignoring the fact NE lost to MIAMI! in mid-December.

Though I also went with the Patriots, it seems strange that so many people think the Steelers have fallen based on just one game. I wonder if it's because a lot of these experts picked the Colts against the Patriots and the experts don't want to get fooled again by picking against the Pats.

~Adam

NE got that one flat-out ugly loss out of their system, and haven't lost since. The Steelers haven't fallen that far, they haven't had that one ugly game, but they've certainly fallen enough to lose to New England.

Pittsburgh, since their impressive wins against the only 2 remaining unbeaten teams, haven't faced a team on that level since. And the same week the Pats lost to Miami the Steelers barely beat the Giants.

A whole 3 games. Big deal. The Steelers haven't lost since Sept. The Steelers closed the season beating a Buffalo team that had won 9 of 11 and did it with their second-stringers. There is no way to spin the fact that in the regular season, the Steelers were the best team.

Good point on the Pats losing to Miami. Also, put into account that despite the struggle against the Jets, the Steelers previous game invovled going into Buffalo(with the Bills on a six game winning streak) and knocking the Bills out of playoff contention while playing reserves for most of the day.

Steelers 23
Pats 13

yikes stole my thunder Jim:)

Which means they're due. wink

As are the Iggles on Sunday! I mean, 4 in a row? No way!

I think it should be a pretty tight, lowscoring game. A final of 20-17 or 17-14 seems likely, and I wouldn't be surprised if a field goal made - or missed - late in the game is the difference. Just because they're at home I see the Steelers prevailing (of course, I was wrong about every game last week......)

I'd love to but I have to work at 5 this Sunday. We'll have the games on there though so if you want to come by and watch, let me know.

Steelers Vs. Remaining Playoff Teams 2-0
Patriots Vs. Remaining Playoff Teams 0-1

Superbowl Steelers 24, Eagles 17

As a long-time Patriots fan (Lord, do I remember all those 2 win seasons, not to mention the cocaine bowl of 1986), I had to pick them in this weekend's game, and I really do believe the game is their's to lose, but I am in no way underestimating Pittsburgh.

IMHO, and I am with Cyd on this one, the Patriots are simply the best team out there when it comes to big games. Bellichek and his staff have, for the last few years really, consistenly put together amazing strategies for playoff games. But more important to the Patriots success the last few years has been the players' willingness to work together, and not as individual showboaters. Those two things together give the Pats an edge, a very small edge to be sure.

Remember, the Pittsburgh game (which to me looked like the Pats wanted to lose it - almost to get the win-streak monkey off their back) did not include Corey Dillon, and he could be a huge factor this weekend. I also take comfort in last year's results, when the Pats also went 14 - 2, losing to Buffalo (who basically had been handed the team's playbook a few days before the game with the Lawyer Milloy trade) and Washington - so this season and last season look very similar.

My feeling is that the Patriots would beat any team they played this Sunday - especially a team they've already played once. Yes, the Steelers haven't lost since week 2. So what? Teams have lost in December and won the Super Bowl. When a last loss happened is completely irrelevant. What matters is what will happen this Sunday.

I remember Favre two years ago with a bad thumb. He just wasn't as good. My feeling with Rothlisberger has been that, as a rookie, he's never had to play this many games in a season. His arm is tired. Real tired. Combine that with a bad thumb and the dumb decision to not wear gloves because the fans don't like it - and you've got the recipe for a one-dimensional team that gives the Pats a pick or two to boot.

Pats 30, Steelers 17

I don't think it's a fluke that the Eagles have lost three straight conference title games. This is not the team that went 13-3 in the regular season; it's the team that's gone 1-2 since.

Vick and the Falcons went into snowy Green Bay two years ago and stunned the Packers, before ultimately losing to the Eagles. I see Mike Vick having a HUGE game - a career-defining game; and the Eagles' offense struggling terribly against the best defense they've faced in six weeks.

I picked the Falcons by 10 on Sunday - I think it will be bigger.

Falcons 27, Eagles 13

They would get crushed by Da Bears!

Pittsburgh 20, New England 17

Philadelphia 27, Atlanta 16

Pats 20 @ Steelers 13

Falcons 20 @ Eagles 17

I looooved Bill Simmons' column today. Very funny. And he even talks about threeways!

The Bachelor = The Super Bowl trophy
They just want to go home with someone, even admitting that their longest relationship was just one year. By the end of January, the trophy is practically in heat. All it's missing is the bad cologne, the Viagra and the tank top.

The Favorite = The Patriots
They're the good-looking, cocky, confident blonde with an ample cleavage who just finished a modeling tour with Hawaiian Tropic. They say things like "I've never had a problem getting a date" and "Honey, if you think I'm worried about trash like you, you have another thing coming." They don't need to dress like a slut. They don't need to flash anyone on the dance floor. They refuse to kiss the trophy until all the other contestants are eliminated. They're just grinding out the date, acting like pros, avoiding any turnovers and expecting to get chosen in the end. And if you trash-talk them, you end up paying for it.

(But that's the weird thing about this show -- just when you think someone's a sure thing, they end up stumbling at the strangest time.)

The Contender = The Steelers
Maybe they aren't the cutest contestant, but they have a good personality and don't mind rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty. They nearly ran away with the date on the dance floor, then they lost some steam near the end of the third act when they got a little too drunk and admitted that, "Yeah, I've been in a threesome, so what?" Now they're underdogs to go home with the trophy, even though they already got to second base in the men's bathroom with it.

The Wild Card = The Falcons
They don't say much, they're not very good at trash-talking, they haven't proven anything, they have a nose ring ... but they also have HUGE breasts. You can never count out anyone with huge breasts. You just can't.

(And yes, Mike Vick counts as 38DDs.)

The Longshot = The Eagles
Things were going great for them until they lost a "I'm not ugly, you're ugly" trash-talk battle to The Contender, then broke a heel on the dance floor and sprained an ankle. It's also their fourth time on "Elimidate" and they haven't won yet. Things keep going wrong, to the point that their fans are expecting the worse. But that's the great thing about The Longshot ... you never know.


Read the rest of the column

Simmons, unfortunately, has become an insufferable Pats honk, which is why Cyd is suddenly a big fan.

Bitter bitter bitter.

I've been a fan of his stuff for years.

Except when he's an insufferable Red Sox honk, or an insufferable Celtics honk...

The only prediction I would like to see come true is that in 20 years time the weather will cease to be a factor in football.

These two games are going to be a lot less fun to watch, with the winners possibly being the ones who manage not to step on a slippery spot at a critical time during the game.

It puts more emphesis on luck than skill. Luck is always a factor but now it's paramount to win.

I disagree. It's an outdoor sport. Sometimes the weather is a factor, and it should always be that way. Good teams find a way to win despite bad weather.

Yo ho Yo ho it's an Eagles life for me! Tirades we are and battery throwers for life ho ho! Yo ho yo ho it's a green life for me! Bite the heads off the Falcons and pillage their old ladies ho ho!

Villanova upsets! Just the beginning the weekend!

Sportinlife, you probably wouldn't enjoy going to playoff football games in Canada! Seven of the nine CFL teams have open-air stadiums, and it is often colder and snowier up here in November (our playoff month) than it is in January in the northern states. Both New England and Pittsburgh (go Steelers!) are accustomed to playing in adverse weather conditions, so neither team should have an edge tomorrow. Of course, on the other hand, the Falcons might be at a disadvantage playing in Philadelphia.

[ January 22, 2005, 11:57 PM: Message edited by: Marc ]

But as a gay man I would probably enjoy a lot more civil rights - a fair exchange in my book.

BTW - just finished shoveling the back alley to the garage, now headed to the front (legally required). Oh what a joy. I can't remember the last time I so hated 8 inches.

[ January 23, 2005, 05:08 AM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Really excited about both games today. I don't think the Pats will be bothered by the weather at all, obviously, but Atlanta may have more of a problem with it in Philly, now more than they would have say a few days ago. WE shall see. Regardless, go Eagles!!

Vick is playing with some serious fire thus far in the first quarter. Philly seems poised to try and break this game wide open early, had that flag not wiped out the INT, it would almost be over now. As I type this, Vick does a sprintaround and had he outjumped that last tackle would've gotten a few more yards.

Philly 7, Atlanta 0
END of 1st

NOT QUITE YET ... Philly calls a TO with :01 left to avoid Atlanta wind to try a 48 yd FG, and Atlanta converts on 4th and 1

[ January 23, 2005, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Breesboy ]

The 2nd quarter may be proof positive that Philly's gonna break through. The timeout doesn't backfire, McNabb pulls a little Vick-escapability and converts a first down pass to Mitchell, then the Lewis pass into the red zone, and if they withstand this challenge, it just might be the Eagles year. Otherwise Atlanta would've scored 6, McNabb would've been sacked and/or thrown an INT.

edit: call stands

Philly 14, Atlanta 3
4:58 2nd

[ January 23, 2005, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: Breesboy ]

30 minutes -- let's put them away for good! GO EAGLES!!!