12/21/24
January 12, 2005
Home field advantage: : Patriots leave the roof off the Razorblade.
Probably won't make any difference given the forecast for Foxboro...certainly not like the Raiders in '02.
posted by lil_brown_bat to football at 04:53 PM - 29 comments
I'm hoping for 35 and sunny. 1. I'm kind of sick of the Pats. 2. It would be a TREEE-mendous game. 2 time champs vs. record setting offense. 3. I can't wait to see Troy Brown on Brandon Stokley. BTW, why does N.E. always get 4:30 games?
posted by Mike McD at 07:34 PM on January 12, 2005
Earlier in the week, they were saying 22 degrees for Sunday's game. I'll trust it a bit more, the closer we get to the actual day. Really looking forward to a good game.
posted by jerseygirl at 08:04 PM on January 12, 2005
BTW, why does N.E. always get 4:30 games? They don't always, at least not in the regular season. I know, 'cuz I usually have to work until 4 on Sundays. It's kinda interesting: of the eight teams left, five are eastern timezone, three are central. Of course, they can never know that when they set up the playoff schedule; if they had, it might have made more sense to have the games at 4:30 and 8.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:11 PM on January 12, 2005
It'll be exciting, the Colts are a hell of a team and Manning is clearly the premier QB out there, and weekly solidifying his Top 5 All Time status (I have no illusions about Brady's skill as a QB; it's the system, his teammates, and his coaches that make him as successful QB as he is. That, and the magical powers of his Samson-like chin!). As a Patriots fan, I can watch with true enjoyment: if they win, then the Patriots team style will be once again redeemed. If not, and the Pats lose, I tip my hat to the Colts, happy that a quality team like Indianapolis can make a run, and still relax in the soft cushion of knowing they're two-time champs in the past 3 years; according to Simmons, I can't even begin to complain for 7 years (and the whole "greatest comeback-greatest choke" thing a couple of months ago doesn't hurt either)
posted by hincandenza at 08:18 PM on January 12, 2005
I have no illusions about Brady's skill as a QB; it's the system, his teammates, and his coaches that make him as successful QB as he is. WTF are you talking about? You've come down with New England fan syndrome, like the guy on 'EEI last week saying the Patriots would "only go as far as Brady could take them." The hosts pointed out he'd twice taken them to the mountaintop. Peyton Manning is as good a QB as I've seen in 20 years of football. That doesn't make Tom Brady simply a product of a successful system. Bullshit to that. I was doubly (triply if you count having to stay up so late) pissed during the Miami loss because Tom Brady played so poorly and he never does that. The guy's a machine. He really is Captain Intangibles: I'll take 185 yards and a win over 450 yards and a loss. None of which means I think the Pats should be favored on Sunday.
posted by yerfatma at 08:40 PM on January 12, 2005
I believe the Colts will pull this one off. I think Patriots are in for a major upset...
posted by ozettenation at 08:47 PM on January 12, 2005
Right now, I think Brady is being unfavorably compared to Manning by many because he simply hasn't had a real showy year. Why? Well...seems to me his showiest performances in the past have been when his team was down and about to be out. In the '02 and '04 seasons, he had some truly electrifying drives in situations when he was running out of time and had a lot of yards and a lot of points to make up. This season has been different. He just hasn't been in that "risk it all or lose it all" situation...yet. I don't mean to suggest that Peyton Manning is a showboater, but he has a different style. Brady excels at playing the game that needs to be played to defeat the opponent du jour. Sometimes that's an exciting and showy game; other times it's a lot more conservative. But, as the Pats are fond of pointing out, the statistic that matters is the W.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:58 PM on January 12, 2005
I think Patriots are in for a major upset... At the risk of defending the defending champions, the line is 2 points and 67% of ESPN.com voters think the Colts will win. Or was the upset non-game related? Not invited to Vanderjaagt's suite party after the game, perhaps?
posted by yerfatma at 09:12 PM on January 12, 2005
Sorry, the Patriots have this one in the bag, IMO. It will be close, but the Colts defense just sucks too much.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:31 PM on January 12, 2005
Man, that was the most high school throw back comment I have made about sports in 20 years. Felt sort of good, actually.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:32 PM on January 12, 2005
I'm beginning to think that Tom Brady's success owes more to the conservative system he plays, a la Trent Dilfer, and the Derek Jeter-like talk about his "intangibles" is just a cover for decent but not great skills. That's not an effort to deny the huge accomplishment of leading a team to two rings, but there's a difference between a quarterback asked to win games for his team like Manning, and one who is asked not to lose them. I see the Colts winning this one, perhaps even in a laugher.
posted by rcade at 07:28 AM on January 13, 2005
I'm beginning to think that Tom Brady's success owes more to the conservative system he plays, a la Trent Dilfer, and the Derek Jeter-like talk about his "intangibles" is just a cover for decent but not great skills. Well, what's a "great skill"? And how do you describe the skill of coming in as a rookie after the starter gets hauled off with a life-threatening injury, and taking your team to their first ever Super Bowl ring, except as "intangible"?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:20 AM on January 13, 2005
rcade: "There's a difference between a quarterback asked to win games for his team like Manning..." Like Manning? Like Manning? Seriously? Tom Brady's been asked to win the biggest games of all on come-from-behind drives more times than Manning has even dreamed about it. And he been successful each time. Maybe the trend gets bucked this week, but going back to college Peyton Manning has been a huge stat guy with an awe-inspiring set of QBing skills, but he's never shown up in a big game... when his team really needs him to win a game.
posted by 86 at 09:10 AM on January 13, 2005
And how do you describe the skill of coming in as a rookie after the starter gets hauled off with a life-threatening injury, and taking your team to their first ever Super Bowl ring, except as "intangible"? Easy -- you already had a team that would win a Super Bowl as soon as you got rid of the old-and-busted Drew Bledsoe and inserted a QB that fit the program, which meant throwing shorter passes and running the ball more effectively, and also relying on your defense. Brady and the Pats were 28th in the league that yards per passing attempts, so it's not like he was flinging the ball around the field. What I don't think people give Brady credit for is improvement -- his passer rating has been better every year, he's upped his YPA to the level where the Pats are eighth in the NFL this season. Is he the most physcially gifted QB in the league? Nope, but he doesn't have to be, and he's usually smart enough to know that (save the Miami game this season). People cringe at the Brady/Montana comparison ... but who else fits better than Super Joe?
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:32 AM on January 13, 2005
Tom Brady's been asked to win the biggest games of all on come-from-behind drives more times than Manning has even dreamed about it. I seem to recall 10 other Patriots on the field during those drives. I'm not comparing the success of their teams; Brady has quarterbacked the team to two Super Bowl wins. Manning is just beginning to experience some post-season success. I'm judging Brady by how he plays his position relative to his peers, independently of their respective teams. I don't see any reason to think Brady could carry a team, which is what Manning has to do to get the Colts to a Bowl. Put Peyton Manning in the conservative system in New England and I have no doubt the team is as good if not better as they are today. One of the best quarterbacks of all time can master the dink pass. Put Brady in gun-slinging, risk-taking Indianapolis, and I wonder if they're a playoff team.
posted by rcade at 09:55 AM on January 13, 2005
you already had a team that would win a Super Bowl as soon as you got rid of the old-and-busted Drew Bledsoe and inserted a QB that fit the program Oh so easy to say. The team was 0-2 at that point. A good team, but mainly on defense. Put Brady in gun-slinging, risk-taking Indianapolis, and I wonder if they're a playoff team. Easily. While I appreciate the argument, I think the "safe" system that surrounds Brady obscures a good QB. He can throw downfield when he needs to and I think he would do quite well with Harrison, Stokley, Wayne, Pollard, Clark and James on his side. In fact, I think that receiver corps would make a lot of QBs look good. Which is not to say Peyton isn't great.
posted by yerfatma at 10:02 AM on January 13, 2005
Joey Harrington could do what Tom Brady does.
posted by mayerkyl at 10:09 AM on January 13, 2005
Wouldn't you think the fact the team was 0-2 before Brady was inserted shows that Bledsoe was the main problem? I'm still not sure why New England stuck with Drew for so long -- just not the guy to run that type of offense.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:29 AM on January 13, 2005
yea y the NE games is always 4 30 and the manning is goin to teach brady how to play
posted by dhdefrag3x at 01:20 PM on January 13, 2005
about the 4:30 games I was thinking of the playoffs. I remember the Oakland game went into the evening (that may have been an 8:00 Saturday night game) and the Tennessee game was a late afternoon game going into night as well. I don't remember when the first Colts game was. Regarding Brady vs. Manning, I have to give Brady his due. I'm far more impressed with guys who actually win than guys who put up stats. What's more impressive, a 14-2 record or 51 TDs? Understand that they're 11 players on the fields but am still inclined to think 14-2 is a better season, especially when you've got the Pats receivers. Anyway, should be a classic game. I'm looking forward to it.
posted by Mike McD at 01:56 PM on January 13, 2005
I think Brady is a less important factor in this game and that the NEP defense is the most important factor, because they know how to contain the IND offense better than most other teams, plus watching the film of last week's second half against Denver offers some fresh insight. On Brady v. Manning, I can only think of the fact that Peyton keeps talking about the unimportance of individual stats compared to winning rings. Brady has two even though he's been in the league about half as long as Manning.
posted by billsaysthis at 02:40 PM on January 13, 2005
Jeez, after all this, I'm wondering why they let the other guys play. Clearly, success turns solely on the performance of the quarterback.
posted by Revisited at 05:37 PM on January 13, 2005
colts by 8
posted by curlyelk at 05:42 PM on January 13, 2005
curlyelk, you wanna be here.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 05:49 PM on January 13, 2005
i would say the colts will win and if not the pats got lucky again by a td against the colts plus just incase the colts dont finish the pats then the STEELERS will anhilate the pats Big Ben is a killa and hes only a rookie
posted by dhdefrag3x at 06:18 PM on January 13, 2005
i would say the colts will win and if not the pats got lucky again Yeah, that's what they said in '02...and in '04...those gosh darn Patriots, they have all the luck and nobody else has any, isn't that so? Or could it be, perhaps, that they make their own luck?
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:58 PM on January 13, 2005
Sure, lbb, but you have to admit that luck was on Brady's side when they reversed that fumble call against Oakland in 2002.
posted by rcade at 06:59 AM on January 14, 2005
And when he got drafted by the Pats. Worked out well for both sides.
posted by yerfatma at 06:43 PM on January 17, 2005
Two teams enter! One team leaves!