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Most Wide Open Playoff Ever?

tapeANaspirin2it

tapeANaspirin2it

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Just to make missing the playoffs even worse, take a look at this field. The steelers had a real chance to win the Super Bowl. How do i know? Because the Ravens, running a high school offense, have a shot to win it. So do the 6 seed Colts

I have never seen a playoff this wide open. I think that 9 of the 12 playoff teams have a legit shot to win it all. Most years I'm usually thinking 3 or 4 have a shot.

What is clear this year is that there is no great team in the NFL. They all have faults.

Here they are by seed

1 Chiefs defense is bad at everything
2 Pats have no playmakers in the pass game with a broken down Gronk
3 Texans don't have a reliable run game and pass defense is bad
4 Ravens probably can't win a game over 24 points
5 Chargers don't have a reliable second target in the pass game so you can key on Allen (just not with a LB)
6 Colts don't run that well and don't have a real #2 WR

1 Saints have a ****** pass defense
2 Rams defense has been bad and without Cooper Kupp, Goff has struggled
3 Bears offense can be sketchy. Trubisky doesn't always read the field
4 Cowboys pass game is inconsistent
5 Seahawks pass offense depends on Wilson extending plays
6 Eagles have a ton of injuries, pass defense has been terrible


The AFC is crazy. I actually think the 3 best teams are seeds 4,5,6.

I bet the AFC are all rooting hard for Houston, particularly Pats fans. If the COlts win , then the Pats will play the winner of Chargers Ravens and either team is a bad matchup for the Pats. The Colts may be playing the best ball of any team now.

I think the Colts have a real shot at the Super Bowl. Their road is Houston then KC. Both are very beatable and are good matchups for Indy. Indy would then play NE/SD/Balt winner in the AFC Champ game. each of those teams has offense that can struggle vs good defenses and the Colts defense has been solid.

The Ravens also have a shot. Their road starts with the chargers and we know they can win that one. Next they would play either KC or NE. Both are great matchups for the ravens. Chiefs have the 27th run defense so the Ravens might just steamroll them. The Pats offense is struggling and the Raven defense could really shut them down

I can make a case for 5 AFC teams winning the Super Bowl. I can't see Houston, but i can see all others in some scenario. The Pats mainly just because of the bye. I would actually have Pats as my 5th choice to win it all.


The NFC is more geared toward the favorites.

The Saints are probably the best team but with their ****** pass defense, they could lose to the Eagles or Seahawks in their first game.

When i look at the NFC, i can see 4 of 6 making a Super Bowl run if things break right. Which 2 are out? Rams and Cowboys. I don't trust that Ram defense and the offense is not clicking. I don't think they can put together 3 good games in a row

Cowboys offense is too inconsistent. Their problem is that most of the NFC teams have good run defenses so they will have to pass to win and I don't see that.
 
I think the Cowboys can do some damage. They have already beaten the Saints, so we know they are capable. Their defense is pretty good, and they can run the ball. While I would agree that the pass game is inconsistent, it is much improved since Cooper came on board. I wouldn't write them off.

As far as the AFC, I just have this nagging feeling the Ravens will get to the SB. There is really nothing special about them outside of their defense, and by Ravens standards, it really isn't that special. But they can run the ball better than any team left, and that defense is good enough to make a difference. If they get in a shootout though, they are ******, because they can't score 40 points. If they slow the game down and make it physical and sloppy, they can beat anyone.
 
Good write up Tape................



Salute the nation
 
I'll be pulling for the Colts and the Texans..About the only team in that mix I can tolerate watching.

In the NFC, I'm pulling for Da Bears...I like their defense first mentality and I like to say "Da Bears" ;)
 
Sarge said:
I think the Cowboys can do some damage. They have already beaten the Saints, so we know they are capable. Their defense is pretty good, and they can run the ball. While I would agree that the pass game is inconsistent, it is much improved since Cooper came on board. I wouldn't write them off.

As far as the AFC, I just have this nagging feeling the Ravens will get to the SB. There is really nothing special about them outside of their defense, and by Ravens standards, it really isn't that special. But they can run the ball better than any team left, and that defense is good enough to make a difference. If they get in a shootout though, they are ******, because they can't score 40 points. If they slow the game down and make it physical and sloppy, they can beat anyone.
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Wouldn't it be something if 2 teams that rely on defense make it to the championship game.
 
You need balance but I'd take a stifling defense over a high power offense any day. Especially when playing in the NE in bad conditions.
 
I'd like to see a Chargers/Saints Superbowl, with my preference being the Chargers winning. Let Rivers get his finally. If not, then New Orleans winning another won't give me any heartburn either.
 
Contrary to popular belief, the NFL is NOT a passing league. As pointed out by Ray Fittipaldo in this mornings Post-Gazette, 7/10 of the top run-heavy offenses made the playoffs while all of the top 6 pass heavy offenses missed the playoffs (including the Steelers).

Don’t be surprised if Baltimore goes far, they won’t have to score more than 24 points. Don’t be surprised if the Pats run their way to another championship.
 
JMM said:
I'll be pulling for the Colts and the Texans..About the only team in that mix I can tolerate watching.

In the NFC, I'm pulling for Da Bears...I like their defense first mentality and I like to say "Da Bears" ;)
Click to expand...



ADD to that as Da Bears are my favorite Niece's favorite team !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Salute the nation
 
I am going to have to put money on the line to watch, unfortunately.
 
I felt the Pat's were done when the Steelers beat them. Then Houston lost. With the bye they are dangerous. They will not lose at home. Which gets them to the AFC championship at home or on the road in KC which has a terrible playoff history.
 
By far the most open playoff field in recent memory. Patrick Mahomes is the only scary player in the AFC and anyone can beat the Chiefs in a shootout. The Steelers spotted KC 21 points and still nearly came back to win that game. They had the Saints game in hand if not for a couple of dumb coaching calls.

Troglodyte said:
Contrary to popular belief, the NFL is NOT a passing league. As pointed out by Ray Fittipaldo in this mornings Post-Gazette, 7/10 of the top run-heavy offenses made the playoffs while all of the top 6 pass heavy offenses missed the playoffs (including the Steelers).
Click to expand...

I looked at some key stats from the Steelers first 10 games and final 6 games and the key stat that stood out was how horrible the running game go during their 2-4 stretch. If they commit to the ground in those games, no doubt they win at least one of those four games and are playing today or tomorrow.
 
I'm going for the Bears. They were bold moving up to get their QB and trading for an impact defender. Besides they have not won since 1985-86.

My second choice would be the Chiefs.


Anyone but the Patriots, Ravens, Cowboys or Seahawks!
 
Agreed this is the most maddening part of missing the playoffs. We can beat any team in this field. Of course we could be one and done but we’ll never know #thanksTomlin


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
 
AggieSteel said:
Agreed this is the most maddening part of missing the playoffs. We can beat any team in this field. Of course we could be one and done but we’ll never know #thanksTomlin


Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app
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If the Raiders or Cincy somehow were allowed in, that's a different story. ;)
 
Yep, Steelers could have beaten any of them, best chance they ever had at beating Pats to go all the way, pissed away

**** you Coach Fake Punt


I wont root for any of them, just against Pats n Ravens
 
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I took a bet of 20 bucks in October that Nick Foles would be a top 25% paid QB next season. Its become a bit of a smack talk thing with my buddy more than anything. I figure if they go on a run to the divisional or certainly conference championship round I think I will win/ be right. So Fly Eagles Fly.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
I looked at some key stats from the Steelers first 10 games and final 6 games and the key stat that stood out was how horrible the running game go during their 2-4 stretch. If they commit to the ground in those games, no doubt they win at least one of those four games and are playing today or tomorrow.
Click to expand...

It's not as much about committing to the run as it simply being balanced offensively. The Steelers were playing their best in the middle of the season when they utilizing both the run and pass on regular basis.


For some ******* reason, in Jacksonville, against a team that was strong against the pass but weak against the run, they went out and slung the ball all over the place and the crap continued for the rest of the season, with the exception being the Patriots game.

Look at the top two seeds in each conference. They all have decent to great balance on offense, while the Steelers were near the very bottom of the league in both rushing attempts and yardage.

The Steelers have every bit the talent that the Chiefs, Patriots, Saints and Rams do, but not only do they not get a first round bye, they miss the playoffs entirely because the coaching is a joke.

I'll watch this very winnable playoff field pissed off, knowing the Steelers have wasted yet another year of the Roethlisberger era.
 
Punxsutawney said:
It's not as much about committing to the run as it simply being balanced offensively. The Steelers were playing their best in the middle of the season when they utilizing both the run and pass on regular basis.
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I suppose that's more of what I meant since they downright ignored the run. It was a complete afterthought.
 
Biggest key for the Rams is how healthy Gurley is.
 
Interesting write-up Tape. Not sure about the Colts not being able to run though.

Colts look properly scary at the moment.
 
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