Divisional musings...

[off_the_wall]

Two of the easiest (and most obvious) goat-of-the week picks:
Kyle Williams
Billy Cundiff

While Eli may not be Peyton, he sure is more clutch than Peyton is, certainly in the playoffs.

What was the deal with San Fran completing only one pass to a wide receiver all game ? A 3-yard pass to Crabtree, no less.

San Fran being horrific on 3rd down was kinda a surprise.

Tell me the media doesn't make its own storylines. How many times did CBS cut to a shot of Ed Reed, whenever Joe Flacco did something (good or bad) ?

Would have been cool to see Baltimore play in Indy, just how both cities are linked, football wise.

Makes me wonder why the Niners couldn't stop Cruz late in the second quarter, yet shut him down in the 2nd half.

I like listening to referee Ed Hochuli explain stuff (video replay explanations, etc...).

In all the Cundiff blame, what gets lost, is the Lee Evans TD drop, only a few plays before.

I think there are about 4 NFC teams (Packers, Saints, Niners, and Giants), I would have taken over the AFC rep in the Super Bowl.

I'm not sure why anyone would want to sing the National Anthem at a sporting event.
There is no upside to doing a good job, but a lot of downside to things don't go so well.

[nullnor]

ppl think a muddy field means a defensive, run the ball type of game. but it actually gives an advantage to offensive passing type teams. because the offense knows where the ball is going while the defense has to react.

on V. Davis TD catch review, the way the refs explained it sounded like they overruled the replay officials. the ref was like, ' well..they can't agree on an answer upstairs so we're going to go ahead and make the call again'. also, Davis literally ran on his toes down the sideline.

vince wilfork, it was nice to see some pressure on the opposing TD for once from the pats. flacco can be pretty slippery running fwd in the pocket. i think the pats planned their pressure that way instead of pressuring the sides they bull-rushed the front. which makes me afraid they won't be able to put any pressure on Eli due to the way the Giants OL is playing.

the pats defenses are always the most boring because we never have any sack artists. it's the only gripe i have over the years. but it's a big gripe for me. a lot of it has to do with playing a 3-4 instead of a 4-3. ..i like to see sacks. i consider it one of the more exciting events during a game.

when the pats sacked flacco on 3rd down (i think in the 2nd qtr) after their first turnover, it stopped a potential score and almost knocked Bal out of FG range. it was Belichick at his finest. like he was saving that play for a rainey day. he always has a few special plays. made me think of the water boy movie:

Lynn Swann: Any unused magic in that, legendary green playbook of yours, Red?

Coach Red Beaulieu: I may have a couple, squirrelled away in there...for a rainy day.

i miss Lynn Swann. why do i have to watch all these chumps like Johnson, Marino, Sharpe and Cowher, but i get no Lynn Swann!?

again, due to vince wilfork's good game, it's time to acknowledge (earlier this season) possibly the greatest Patriots video ever. the best part if how McCourty comes in at the end and clips the defender (for a penalty), trips Wilfork an knocks the defenders helmet off.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lEyJfsW2C8w?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[nullnor]

i only got to see the first qtr of the SF game but im guessing Ted Ginn Jr would've been returning the punts? if thats true, it made a difference. ..but i only saw one part of a SF game this year and that was when he returned one for a TD. but i did think to myself before the start, when they mentioned he was out, that it was a bad thing.

also, the SF defense is exciting to watch. the way the NFL rules are going fwd. it will be a pleasure to watch them more in the future.

[nullnor]

ray rice has talent but he's also a product of a system that blocks well and feeds him the ball. but he runs too low to the ground (which seems impossible) and he falls down on his own. his fullback is a beast. but ray rice seems to look too long at the holes. houston stuffed him at the GL a few times, if he wasn't falling down first.

i don't trust ray rice. ricky williams looked better... when ray went out and ricky came in i went noooo! but as a pats fan i actually cheered when he came back and ricky went out.