Post by spiderfan on Jan 14, 2018 19:29:37 GMT -8
Hello everyone it is me spiderfan and wow what a weekend of football. Without further ado let us begin!
The Least Interesting Game (Titans vs Patriots)
The Titans scored first on a 95 yard drive to go up 7-0. I thought to myself "This will actually be a game". I was wrong. The Patriots then went on a 35-7 run and blew out the Titans 35-14. Not an interesting game and there really isn't anything else to say, other than the Patriots are REALLY good.
The Upset (Falcons vs Eagles)
The #1 seeded Philadelphia Eagles entered the game as 3 point underdogs against the #6 seeded Atlanta Falcons. Not many people expected the Eagles to win the game. However in a back and forth and well contested football game the Eagles came out on top.
I would like to address something though. The Falcons are driving down by 5 with a chance to win the game and on 4th & 2 right near the end zone, and the best play they could come up with was a chuck it up pass to Julio? Poor play calling and poor execution. The Falcons deserve to go home.
I would also like to address the play of Nick Foles. He actually played really well and Doug Pederson and the Eagles had good play calling and good execution and deserved their spot in the NFC Championship Game.
The Kryptonite Game (Jaguars vs Steelers)
Teams have kryptonite. The Lions have the refs. The Patriots have Mile High Stadium/late season games in Miami. The Steelers have theirs and it isn't the Patriots like some had previously thought. Turns out the Sacksonville Jaguars are the Steelers kryptonite.
Leonard Fournette ran all over the defense, Blake Bortles threw the football well, and the defense came up with key turnovers (and should have ended up with more). Add on to that the Steelers run a completely one dimensional offense that consists of Big Ben throwing up the ball and hoping that someone (primarily Antonio Brown) catches it and you have got yourself a home playoff loss for the Steelers.
The Steelers tried keeping the game close with their Chuck and Pray offense, but the Jaguars had control the entire time and had multiple double digit leads throughout the game. Even so this isn't Big Ben's retirement party and he will be back next season. Good luck with that!
The Miracle in Minnesota (Vikings vs Saints)
The best for last. So the Vikings completely dominate the first half both offensively and defensively, humiliating the Saints in the process. They go up 17-0 at half and all seems well in US Bank Stadium. Then things get interesting when the Saints manage to score 14 points midway through the second half and cut the deficit to 3. Drew Brees gets hot and plays much better than he did in the first while Case Keenum is cooling off. Even so the Vikings manage to keep it a 6 point game with a FG. However 6 points isn't enough and on the ensuing drive the Saints get a TD and go up by 1.
At this point I'm thinking "another heartbreaking loss is in store for the Vikings". I'm still thinking this after the 2 teams exchange FGs and the Saints go up by 1 again this time with 25 seconds remaining in the game. The Vikings manage to get just outside of FG range with 10 seconds left and then the Miracle in Minnesota (as I am coining it) happened.
My throat is still sore from my reaction to the TD.
A game that I and many others will remember and what is the best game of the playoffs so far. If we get more finishes like that this postseason we are in a for a treat.
Other thoughts:
-Norv Turner is a bad hire by the Panthers.
-Mark Helfrich is a good hire by the Bears.
-Brian Daboll got hired by the Bills which apparently means no one wants to stay Alabama's OC.
-Matt Patricia is a good hire by the Lions especially if he keeps Jim Bob Cooter. Source
-I still don't think Josh McDaniels will get a HC this offseason as I think he is waiting for the Patriots job to open... eventually.
-While I think the Cardinals should hire Pat Shurmur to be their coach, I can see them hiring Mike Munchak (Steelers O-line coach) because of impatience.
It is now time for this edition Random Thoughts & Stuff to come to an end, but don't worry I'll be back next week. For now here is Vikings radio by play announcer Paul Allen's call of the final play of the game. Enjoy!
