2016 NFC Playoffs

[Gunpowder]

Cheerleader really should have kicked that fg at the end of the first half.

Is Pete Carroll the cheerleader in this instance? Not going to give you shit if so, just has parallels to things I read from Steeler fans.

[A_B]

Panthers by at least 14.

[Pruitt]

On a related note - remember how close Ron Rivera came to being fired back in 2013?

He is now called "Riverboat Ron" without a hint of sarcasm. But a couple of years ago, he was more reviled for his conservatism than Mike Smith. Any other coaches turn their reputation around as quickly as Rivera?

[Johnny Carwash]

On a related note - remember how close Ron Rivera came to being fired back in 2013?

He is now called "Riverboat Ron" without a hint of sarcasm. But a couple of years ago, he was more reviled for his conservatism than Mike Smith. Any other coaches turn their reputation around as quickly as Rivera?

Belichick? Did anyone think that guy would turn into a great coach after his Cleveland stint?

e: Has Simmons tentatively removed Rivera from the list of NFL coaches he thinks he could outcoach yet? That would bring him down to about 20.

[Pruitt]

On a related note - remember how close Ron Rivera came to being fired back in 2013?

He is now called "Riverboat Ron" without a hint of sarcasm. But a couple of years ago, he was more reviled for his conservatism than Mike Smith. Any other coaches turn their reputation around as quickly as Rivera?

Belichick? Did anyone think that guy would turn into a great coach after his Cleveland stint?

There were extenuating circumstances - he did get the Browns to the playoffs in 94, followed by a season that imploded when it became obvious the Browns were moving.

AND after that, he spent 4 more years as an assistant. What's remarkable about Rivera is that he seemed to completely change in the middle of a season.

[Gunpowder]

Rivera's teams have a nasty Mike Smith-ian habit of going up big and letting teams come back on them, though. Hope it's just coincidence but they've almost been burned a few times this year.

[govmentchedda]

I'm on Arizona +3 and NE -3.

Me too

[Joe K]

Arizona is a better team than Green Bay (especially with all of GB's injuries at WR), and likely would've won by double digits if not for the Palmer INTs. But I still can't get over those two Rodgers throws on the game-tying drive. The Hail Mary has understandably gotten more attention, but the throw on 4th and 20 was also unbelievable. He threw a 60 yard pass, on a line, into a hole in the zone that wasn't that big. And I wonder how many other right-handed QBs in the history of the sport would've been able to throw a ball 60 yards, while running left and falling backward, like Rodgers did on the Hail Mary.

What about the Palmer dropped INTs and the TD he threw off a dude's arm?

It's Carson Palmer and he throws INTs. That's one of the main reasons I don't love them.

If Palmer plays like that again this week, Carolina probably wins big. But from what I've seen of him his year, he hasn't been that turnover prone considering how many big plays they make in the passing game. I think Carolina wins this week, and probably covers, but an Arizona win certainly wouldn't shock me.

[Ryan]

Arizona is good enough to win under the anything can happen rule, but I don't get why Carolina isn't a much bigger favorite here. They've won 21 of 23 games, 12 in a row at home. AZ had 1 good road win all season - granted that there are only about 6 teams in the whole league that you could get excited about beating.

[howard]

On a related note - remember how close Ron Rivera came to being fired back in 2013?

He is now called "Riverboat Ron" without a hint of sarcasm. But a couple of years ago, he was more reviled for his conservatism than Mike Smith. Any other coaches turn their reputation around as quickly as Rivera?

Belichick? Did anyone think that guy would turn into a great coach after his Cleveland stint?

There were extenuating circumstances - he did get the Browns to the playoffs in 94, followed by a season that imploded when it became obvious the Browns were moving.

AND after that, he spent 4 more years as an assistant. What's remarkable about Rivera is that he seemed to completely change in the middle of a season.

A recent JoePoz column addresses this: http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/ron-ri ... -panthers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[brian]

Arizona and Carolina are essentially mirror images of each other. They score a lot of points on offense, well-balance on offense, CAR running game is better, but Arizona WRs are vastly better. Carolina a little better on defense. This might be one of the best conference championship games in quite some time.

[brian]

Arizona is good enough to win under the anything can happen rule, but I don't get why Carolina isn't a much bigger favorite here. They've won 21 of 23 games, 12 in a row at home. AZ had 1 good road win all season - granted that there are only about 6 teams in the whole league that you could get excited about beating.

Arizona won 13 out of 16 in a much better division. I fail to see how Carolina is vastly better.

Vegas lines generally ascribe an automatic 3 points to a home team so this would be a pickem game on a neutral site which sounds about right.

[Keg]

I took Arizona to win the SB at 14-1 odds earlier in the year.

[Gunpowder]

Arizona lost to Mike Vick and Landry Jones on the road. I think Panthers get up 92-0 at half and win 92-80.

[Gunpowder]

Arizona is good enough to win under the anything can happen rule, but I don't get why Carolina isn't a much bigger favorite here. They've won 21 of 23 games, 12 in a row at home. AZ had 1 good road win all season - granted that there are only about 6 teams in the whole league that you could get excited about beating.

Arizona won 13 out of 16 in a much better division. I fail to see how Carolina is vastly better.

Vegas lines generally ascribe an automatic 3 points to a home team so this would be a pickem game on a neutral site which sounds about right.

Much better? The Seahawks and 2 shit teams. And the Cards only beat Seattle twice.

The Rams are a good bad team but this ain't 2013's NFC West. NFC West and AFC North split this year, and I'm sure that was not expected going into the season.


EDIT: Alright, Carolina's schedule was pretty bad. But I don't think Arizona is very good and I'm glad to see how many people are still riding them this week.

[sancarlos]

This is kind of from left field, but last week Seattle had huge problems with traction on the turf, and Carolina did not. It was a factor in Carolina getting that big lead. I hope Arizona has that figured out this week, so it is "a level playing field", so to speak.

[Brontoburglar]

This is kind of from left field, but last week Seattle had huge problems with traction on the turf, and Carolina did not. It was a factor in Carolina getting that big lead. I hope Arizona has that figured out this week, so it is "a level playing field", so to speak.

That speaks to a lack of preparation by Seattle -- it's not like Carolina practiced on the BoA Stadium field all week and the first time Seattle was on it was at kickoff.

[Pruitt]

I took Arizona to win the SB at 14-1 odds earlier in the year.

Fingers crossed for you. Hope you were smart and bet at least $20,000.

[brian]

I took Arizona to win the SB at 14-1 odds earlier in the year.

Fingers crossed for you. Hope you were smart and bet at least $20,000.

And then hedge the Super Bowl!

[DaveInSeattle]

This is kind of from left field, but last week Seattle had huge problems with traction on the turf, and Carolina did not. It was a factor in Carolina getting that big lead. I hope Arizona has that figured out this week, so it is "a level playing field", so to speak.

That speaks to a lack of preparation by Seattle -- it's not like Carolina practiced on the BoA Stadium field all week and the first time Seattle was on it was at kickoff.

I read somewhere that BofA stadium was resodded to more closely resemble the surface at the Panther's practice facility.

And Seattle has shared this information with Arizona.

[Brontoburglar]

This is kind of from left field, but last week Seattle had huge problems with traction on the turf, and Carolina did not. It was a factor in Carolina getting that big lead. I hope Arizona has that figured out this week, so it is "a level playing field", so to speak.

That speaks to a lack of preparation by Seattle -- it's not like Carolina practiced on the BoA Stadium field all week and the first time Seattle was on it was at kickoff.

I read somewhere that BofA stadium was resodded to more closely resemble the surface at the Panther's practice facility.

And Seattle has shared this information with Arizona.

It was also resodded after the Belk Bowl (for obvious reasons) and it rained a lot before the game. But it's the NFL, so why not the conspiracy theory.

[sancarlos]

This is kind of from left field, but last week Seattle had huge problems with traction on the turf, and Carolina did not. It was a factor in Carolina getting that big lead. I hope Arizona has that figured out this week, so it is "a level playing field", so to speak.

That speaks to a lack of preparation by Seattle -- it's not like Carolina practiced on the BoA Stadium field all week and the first time Seattle was on it was at kickoff.

I read somewhere that BofA stadium was resodded to more closely resemble the surface at the Panther's practice facility.

And Seattle has shared this information with Arizona.

It was also resodded after the Belk Bowl (for obvious reasons) and it rained a lot before the game. But it's the NFL, so why not the conspiracy theory.

I didn't mean to imply I thought anything nefarious was afoot. Just that I'd rather not see issues like footing be an issue in the game.

[mister d]

Pun!

[Brontoburglar]

I didn't mean to imply I thought anything nefarious was afoot. Just that I'd rather not see issues like footing be an issue in the game.

10-4. It just was annoying (and I had no care about who won that game) to hear all the talk about the Seahawks' footing.

[A_B]

I think they are 16-1 not 10-4.

[Brontoburglar]

I think they are 16-1 not 10-4.

I loved that meme midway through the season that the Panthers weren't undefeated.

[rass]

[Johnnie]

[Johnnie]

Shirley Rerun,

Is there a way to figure out how to embed these high MB gifs from this site? They're functionally the same as a Vine. You'd press a play button.

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" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ryan]

Just put the link to sign up for Twitter

[A_B]

So...super smart. Just saying.