Let’s Hear That Knee-Jerk Carolina Love
NFL December 9th. 2008, 9:00am
Let’s not read too much into Carolina’s rousing 38-23 romp of Tampa Bay last night. Impressed that the Panthers rolled up 464 yards of offense and moved the ball at will in the second half against the fifth best scoring defense in the league? Don’t be. Here are some yardage totals the Bucs have allowed on the road this season: Chicago (405), New Orleans (438), Denver (333), Kansas City (384). This is why so few people believe in the box of chocolates that is the NFC South – you have no clue what you’re getting on the road.
Also, this division’s ineptitude on the road is why Dallas fans aren’t quaking in their cleats about the postseason.
Why the obsession with Dallas? Well, when the Super Bowl favorite (according to Vegas!) stumbles, misses badly by taking a risk on a problem child, loses its star rookie for the season, panics and trades for a WR it didn’t need, loses its QB, and then loses its star running back … well, it makes for a good copy.
Your NFC playoff picture, with a handy link to tiebreakers (we’ll jam the AFC into the power rankings; too painful to put that much thought into the Jets right now):
1. Giants – Still, the best.
2. Carolina – Hardly a lock for this spot; the enigma that is Denver visits next week and then the Panthers have to go on the road to the Giants and Saints. Carolina’s 3-3 on the road. Take note of Delhomme’s home/road splits.
3. Arizona – Host the Vikings this weekend and the winner gets the inside track on this seed.
4. Minnesota – Certainly not a lock, not with Gus Frerotte iffy and T Jack the other option. The good news is, Minny gets Atlanta and the Giants at home.
5. Tampa Bay - A game up on the Cowboys with a strange finish to the season: at Atlanta, vs. SD, vs. Oakland. A loss this week will send fans of each team scurrying for the common opponents tiebreaker (things are incredibly close and not yet determined).
6. Dallas – 5-1 at home, and host the Giants and Ravens next. Dallas, which was rooting hard against Atlanta last week, may want the Falcons to win this week because the Cowboys beat Tampa and have that tiebreaker edge.
7. Falcons - Ginormous home game Sunday against Tampa, but a rookie QB against the Tampa defense with the playoffs on the line is no lock.
8. Eagles – Amazingly still in it and should beat Ken Dorsey this week, but we’re not so sure about the Washington and Dallas games.
9. Saints – Just 1-5 on the road, with two more left. Can you really count the trip to Detroit as a lock?
10. Bears – Fourth most difficult team in the league to get a handle on; beat New Orleans and we’ll give it some thought.
11. Redskins - Lost four of five and now Portis and Zorn may be at odds. A loss in Cincy and it’s definitely over.
56 Responses to “Let’s Hear That Knee-Jerk Carolina Love”
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December 9th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Why not throw Carolina some love, the NFC is wide open and they’ve got as good a chance as anyone. They run the ball well, play solid defense, and have a home run threat. At home, I’d take them over everyone in the NFC.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I like the Eagles chances. They face Dallas and Washington, but is anyone really blown away by either team? The Skins look awful as of late and have a terrible O. Dallas can’t seem to close a game out and the Eagle’s D is very similar to Pittsburgh. I see Dallas losing to the Ravens.
Chicago faces a red hot Saints team (that minny beat)
December 9th, 2008 at 9:09 am
No you can’t, especially if Drew Henson gets some more time. He got into the game on Sunday, the first time in 4 years. Culpepper spiked the ball to stop the clock at 1 second, then came off the field holding his arm. Drew Henson scrambled onto the field, put on his helmet and promptly took a sack to end the game. You can’t put a price on playing time like that. He was a little nervous at first, but once he got that first hit, the nerves were gone. Look for him to rebound.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:11 am
you have my attention…why shouldn’t i be impressed?
wait…i thought you said scoring defense? but these are yardage totals, something totally different.
after last night, im impressed. sure, the rest of the NFC south maybe a house of cards, but the Panthers actually have the recipe for what it takes to win in the playoffs on the road…great running game clicking on all cylinders and a pretty stout defense.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:12 am
As a Cowboys fan I was first impressed with the Panthers. Then I had to remind myself Brad Johnson beat the Bucs
December 9th, 2008 at 9:15 am
So we shouldn’t be impressed by a 10-3 team playing in the league’s toughest division? Sounds good to me.
Carry on.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:16 am
/sincere?
Delhomme is fucking scary. He will throw for 300 yards one game and then throw 3 picks the next game.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Fantastic point, Spence. Tampa runs the Dungy/Kiffin Tampa 2, which is designed to bend between the 20’s and clamp down in the red zone. The fact Carolina rang 38 points up on them, mostly by shoving it right down their throats…impressive.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:21 am
glad you guys are liking the yardage/points stats … more coming in the next post!
December 9th, 2008 at 9:22 am
I think the Vikings are more scared of ATL right now than the Giants. They face them at home on the last game of the season. The Giants will probably rest the starters for the second half and most likely, both teams will have already secured a playoff spot. ATL on the other hand plays in a dome and dome teams always give the Vikings trouble.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:22 am
They went out a kicked a 9-3 team in the teeth. Also, Cowboys fans should be fucking terrified because their quarterback is terrible and their owner just called their star running back a pussy for missing the Steelers game. Why the shit would they want Atlanta to win? And how is playing the Giants a good thing? For anyone?
December 9th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Wow that is completely overstated haterade
December 9th, 2008 at 9:26 am
CRM bathes in haterade. So CRM, who’s your team, I would guess Buffalo, but I’ve never seen you give them any love.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Here’s a stat you’ll love, TBL:
So clutch, so choice.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:27 am
CRM – It should be “because their quarterback is terrible in big games”
Romo is a lock to throw for 300 yards when it doesn’t matter.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:28 am
i know there are a lot of jennifer connolly fans here (me included) but wtf happened to her? she’s disgustingly skinny. on regis now. gorgeous as usual, but her arms and legs look like twigs.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:29 am
I’m a Baltimore Colts fan. They broke my heart and made me jaded towards media creations. Come talk to me when the Cowboys win a playoff game with Tony Romo as their quarterback.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:29 am
he likes teal…panthers? jaguars? dolphins?
December 9th, 2008 at 9:30 am
The bottom line with Tampa: They have a mediocre offense and a stout defense. However, when that defense lays an egg (see: last night), the offense is not built to come from behind. Needless to say, my Falqueens must win this weekend. The Falcon’s will get a big boost when the suspension of the Williams boys is upheld.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:30 am
TBL: everytime she’s on TV, my wife makes a comment about the two catepillars living on her forhead.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Now I get it…
December 9th, 2008 at 9:32 am
yea, that’s the thing…look at their WR’s…galloway and bryant. this offense is just SCREAMING for a big armed QB.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:33 am
fixed for perspective
December 9th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Jeff “happy feet” Garcia. I swear he needs to go on Dancing with the Stars…
December 9th, 2008 at 9:35 am
The NFC is sick!
December 9th, 2008 at 9:35 am
what we’re all thinking
December 9th, 2008 at 9:36 am
You funny man, do you also root for the pre-1999 Browns? Big Ben has many playoff wins and you still hate him, so I’m guessing it would take a little more than 1 playoff game for Romo to win your love.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Spencer- Very true. That catch Bryant had last night was nasty. Gaycia threw that one about as hard as you can. Impressive.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Yankees looking at Ben Sheets (2yrs/$30M) in case Sabathia doesn’t pan out.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Spencer- I think they should draft a QB this year. One thing Ive noticed about Garcia is that he is a scary bitch. He has no pocket composure, after 3 seconds he starts having a seizure and runs out of the pocket plus hes old it might be parkinsons. Are there any big free agents available this year they could go after?
December 9th, 2008 at 9:39 am
CRM hates when another man gets any attention. He seethes and cries into his teal blankie.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Tampa- Surely the Browns would be willing to part with one of their QB’s. Run it by Spencer and see what he thinks.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:43 am
that was awesome.
problem is they have like half their roster invested in QB’s. they could probably get derek anderson from the browns for a 2nd rounder (which would make watching gruden’s face turn beet red from frustration a weekly must-see) or maybe sage rosenfels or whichever amongst brodie croyle or tyler thigpen KC decides to give up on…other than that? not seeing a whole lot.
i wouldnt be surprised if they took mark sanchez…but id love to see what gruden does with josh johnson, the dual threat QB from san diego state or some other small school from that area, i can’t remember.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I feel like that is a little much for Ben Sheets. I’d like to hear the MLJs take on Ben Sheets.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:45 am
he’s a piece of sheet(s)
/that’s why they pay me the big bucks
December 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
jennifer connelly in inventing the abbotts was perfect. and you got to see her huge titties.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am
or maybe sage rosenfels or whichever amongst brodie croyle or tyler thigpen KC decides to give up on…other than that? not seeing a whole lot.
Rex Grossman > Sage Rosenfels
December 9th, 2008 at 9:48 am
He’s a pussy who can’t pitch a full season or come through in the clutch. He went from my favorite player to my least favorite player to beloved again to hated and worthless. Enjoy 16 starts.
/Old school MLJ analysis, and Brewers fan
December 9th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Are there any big free agents available this year they could go after?
Are you guys forgetting about the inimitable JP Loss-man? Gruden would have an aneurism watching this guy hold onto the ball and get sacked 6 times/game, fumble twice, and throw a mind-numbing pick every game. He has played the Bills’ last 6 quarters. His stats: 6 points, 215 yards passing, a QB rating of about 65, 1 pick and a couple of fumbles
Every time people give mad love to Mike Mularkey about his work with “Matty Ice”, I remind people to balance it out w/ his tutelage of this fucking disaster when he pretended to lead the Bills for a few years. he and Tom Donahue gave up an extra #1 to get him.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:52 am
That’s why as a Red Sox fan, I’m excited for this signing. I’ll take mid-July for when he has to have his arm reattached.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:55 am
This has always been how Jeff Garcia operates. It’s ugly but effective. That he plays this way is almost certainly why no fanbase or team has ever been sold on him as their franchise quarterback. But the guy gets it done.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Inasmuch as Dallas would have to go on the road in the playoffs, explain why the hell the division’s ineptitude on the road matters to Dallas in the slightest.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:56 am
don’t worry, jpq, next year, matty ice and mularkey won’t have the charmin soft schedule they do this year. reality is a bitch.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:59 am
If healthy, I’d be happy with running out Wang, Sheets, Burnett or Lowe, Chamberlain, and Hughes.
Unfortunately, saying “if healthy” makes me a saaad panda.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:59 am
I was about to post the same thing. The South doesn’t lose at home and Dallas would have to play them on the road, but because the South sucks on the road they won’t be able to win at home anymore?
December 9th, 2008 at 10:00 am
They are only going to get better. To quote the timeless Timbuk3: “The future is so bright I gotta wear shades.”
December 9th, 2008 at 10:03 am
walt…i realize the last year and a half as a falcons fan has been rough, but take it from me…temper your expectations now, regardless of what happens. the high of the 2007 browns season resulted in one nasty hangover.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Exactly. I read last season’s 13 wins was a career high? Atrocious if the Yankees sign him.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:09 am
They are only going to get better. To quote the timeless Timbuk3: “The future is so bright I gotta wear shades.€
dwalti: gotta agree w/ spencer. See my gravatar? After 6 weeks, Bills were the toast of the AFC. Week 15? END THIS FUCKING SEASON NOW!!! I’ve even come up w/ a new slogan:
“The Buffalo Bills. Ruining hopes and dreams since 1960″
December 9th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Spencer- I am just playing it up. Until the Falcons show me they can win with consistency, I will expect the usual out of next year. 4-12.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:26 am
low expectations are a great thing.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I said this in the roundup thread, but I think this post is more appropriate.
Did anyone see Steve Young nearly get drilled by a cup thrown from a disorderly fan during last night’s postgame SportsCenter? He was about four words into analysis and the cup crashed onto the desk and nearly hit him. He stopped then went back to work. The camera then panned out to the three person shot and Emmitt was mean mugging the crowd. It was golden television.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:47 am
i did not see that…anyone have a screenshot?
December 9th, 2008 at 10:51 am
NDub…i assume this is what you’re talking about? fuckin’ fantastic.
December 9th, 2008 at 10:53 am
spencer:
http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2008/12/your-mnf-video-of-night-steve-young.html
December 9th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Good finds, fellas.
Fantastic stuff. I love Emmitt’s reaction. He looks legitimately pissed off. A great mean mug and even some sly eye.