CASTEEL
01-04-2006, 03:42 PM
For lack of not knowing which section this post would best be put, and for loving the thought of putting Phil Simms in a blast funace, I've put this post here.
Has anyone else read the latest article by this moron on NFL.com I'll post it here after my rant, just for those who havn't read it.
I just can't believe he has his head so far up the bangles bungholes. And to compare the Jagoffs to the Steelers.......
:toofunny::toofunny::toofunny:
Hey Phil, this one's for you :flipoff:
Article:
(Jan. 4, 2006) -- It will be very interesting to see what the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals do this weekend. Despite the fact that these AFC North rivals have already played each other twice during the regular season, there are still plenty of unanswered questions heading into their first-round playoff matchup.
You've got to be careful about those past performances. Even if they hadn't split the season series, it really isn't fair to draw any conclusions from those games. Regular-season matchups are always affected by where teams are at in the point of their seasons. What did it mean at the time?
When Cincinnati scored 38 points against the Steelers, beating them in Pittsburgh on Dec. 4, the Bengals offense was on a serious roll. When Pittsburgh won in Cincinnati in Week 7, the Steelers simply needed that game more than the Bengals did.
Of course, the thing about the playoffs is that all teams are equally desperate.
So it will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments the Steelers defense makes. They've been playing extremely well since that loss to Cincinnati a month ago, but now must face a Bengals offense that might be the best unit in football.
Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer has had a terrific year, and he will be healthy for this game. Add an elite group of wide receivers, an excellent offensive line and a strong running game, and you're talking about perhaps the best unit in football. You can make a case for the Colts offense, of course, or the Bears defense. But this Cincinnati offense is right in the mix.
A sign of Cincinnati's efficiency is that you can count on one hand the number of times you've seen Palmer have to throw on the run this year. Palmer doesn't throw on the run because he doesn't have to. His line protects him, his receivers get open and he finds his targets.
Marvin Lewis' Bengals are at home as the three seed, but they can't rest on their laurels.
On the other side of the ball, however, the Bengals have to figure out how to plug their recent defensive holes. Earlier in the season, Cincinnati had a penchant for making as many big plays on defense as they do on offense, but they allowed a lot of points down the stretch -- 37 in each of their last two games, and an average of 31 points over the last seven games.
And they must face a Steelers offense that is starting to find a rhythm. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is healthy -- and this is noteworthy. When he came back from injury prior to the Monday night loss in Indianapolis in late November, he clearly looked rusty. But Roethlisberger has gotten over that. And running backs Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker are both playing well.
The environment for Sunday's game could be a factor, but there's a chance it won't be. The crowd at Paul Brown Stadium will be loud and wild, but this Steelers team is built to overcome obstacles on the road. Pittsburgh has played in its fair share of big road games, and their style of running the ball and playing tough defense lends itself to neutralizing a hostile road crowd.
One of the biggest problems a road team faces in a noisy stadium is having its offensive linemen hearing the snap count. But that's not nearly as big a deal when you're calling a running play.
I'm sure both of these teams feel very good about themselves coming into this game. They know each other very well and are confident in the matchups. And both would love another shot at the Colts.
Mental rest is key
So much is made about resting players late in the season when your playoff fate has already been sealed. But there's more to it than just trying to avoid injuries. From my experience as an ex-player, I can promise you the mental rest is at least as important as the physical rest.
Tom Brady only attempted eight passes in the Patriots' regular-season finale against Miami, but that was enough to keep him in a bit of a routine and rhythm. That said, I'm sure he did not watch as much film, did not put in as much mental work and preparation for the Miami game as he would ordinarily.
And that mental rest is just as important at this stage of the year as the physical rest.
Beware the Jags
The New England loss to Miami last week meant a first-round playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, whereas a win over the Dolphins would have meant a first-round game against the Steelers. A lot of folks in the media then said, "Well, losing to Miami actually worked out better for the Patriots."
Really? I know America doesn't pay enough attention to the Jaguars, but for the so-called experts to say that New England is better off playing the Jaguars than the Steelers is just wrong.
The Pats better look out because Mike Peterson is No. 8 in the NFL with 131 tackles.
That's like asking, "Which boxer would you rather face in his prime -- Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson?" I don't know the answer, but I know it's a tough call either way.
And I don't see a big difference in facing the Jaguars or the Steelers.
The Jaguars are absolutely one of the top two or three "coming off the bus" teams in the NFL. When you see them getting off the bus, or stepping onto the field, and you're first reaction is just, "Wow, look at how big those guys are."
More than that, they back up their appearances on the field. They bring some speed and a lot of size. And it's not just their standout defensive tackles, Marcus Stroud and John Henderson.
For many of the Jaguars, winning or losing is not as important as the action. They just like the action. And those guys are always dangerous.
http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9143345
Has anyone else read the latest article by this moron on NFL.com I'll post it here after my rant, just for those who havn't read it.
I just can't believe he has his head so far up the bangles bungholes. And to compare the Jagoffs to the Steelers.......
:toofunny::toofunny::toofunny:
Hey Phil, this one's for you :flipoff:
Article:
(Jan. 4, 2006) -- It will be very interesting to see what the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals do this weekend. Despite the fact that these AFC North rivals have already played each other twice during the regular season, there are still plenty of unanswered questions heading into their first-round playoff matchup.
You've got to be careful about those past performances. Even if they hadn't split the season series, it really isn't fair to draw any conclusions from those games. Regular-season matchups are always affected by where teams are at in the point of their seasons. What did it mean at the time?
When Cincinnati scored 38 points against the Steelers, beating them in Pittsburgh on Dec. 4, the Bengals offense was on a serious roll. When Pittsburgh won in Cincinnati in Week 7, the Steelers simply needed that game more than the Bengals did.
Of course, the thing about the playoffs is that all teams are equally desperate.
So it will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments the Steelers defense makes. They've been playing extremely well since that loss to Cincinnati a month ago, but now must face a Bengals offense that might be the best unit in football.
Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer has had a terrific year, and he will be healthy for this game. Add an elite group of wide receivers, an excellent offensive line and a strong running game, and you're talking about perhaps the best unit in football. You can make a case for the Colts offense, of course, or the Bears defense. But this Cincinnati offense is right in the mix.
A sign of Cincinnati's efficiency is that you can count on one hand the number of times you've seen Palmer have to throw on the run this year. Palmer doesn't throw on the run because he doesn't have to. His line protects him, his receivers get open and he finds his targets.
Marvin Lewis' Bengals are at home as the three seed, but they can't rest on their laurels.
On the other side of the ball, however, the Bengals have to figure out how to plug their recent defensive holes. Earlier in the season, Cincinnati had a penchant for making as many big plays on defense as they do on offense, but they allowed a lot of points down the stretch -- 37 in each of their last two games, and an average of 31 points over the last seven games.
And they must face a Steelers offense that is starting to find a rhythm. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is healthy -- and this is noteworthy. When he came back from injury prior to the Monday night loss in Indianapolis in late November, he clearly looked rusty. But Roethlisberger has gotten over that. And running backs Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker are both playing well.
The environment for Sunday's game could be a factor, but there's a chance it won't be. The crowd at Paul Brown Stadium will be loud and wild, but this Steelers team is built to overcome obstacles on the road. Pittsburgh has played in its fair share of big road games, and their style of running the ball and playing tough defense lends itself to neutralizing a hostile road crowd.
One of the biggest problems a road team faces in a noisy stadium is having its offensive linemen hearing the snap count. But that's not nearly as big a deal when you're calling a running play.
I'm sure both of these teams feel very good about themselves coming into this game. They know each other very well and are confident in the matchups. And both would love another shot at the Colts.
Mental rest is key
So much is made about resting players late in the season when your playoff fate has already been sealed. But there's more to it than just trying to avoid injuries. From my experience as an ex-player, I can promise you the mental rest is at least as important as the physical rest.
Tom Brady only attempted eight passes in the Patriots' regular-season finale against Miami, but that was enough to keep him in a bit of a routine and rhythm. That said, I'm sure he did not watch as much film, did not put in as much mental work and preparation for the Miami game as he would ordinarily.
And that mental rest is just as important at this stage of the year as the physical rest.
Beware the Jags
The New England loss to Miami last week meant a first-round playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, whereas a win over the Dolphins would have meant a first-round game against the Steelers. A lot of folks in the media then said, "Well, losing to Miami actually worked out better for the Patriots."
Really? I know America doesn't pay enough attention to the Jaguars, but for the so-called experts to say that New England is better off playing the Jaguars than the Steelers is just wrong.
The Pats better look out because Mike Peterson is No. 8 in the NFL with 131 tackles.
That's like asking, "Which boxer would you rather face in his prime -- Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson?" I don't know the answer, but I know it's a tough call either way.
And I don't see a big difference in facing the Jaguars or the Steelers.
The Jaguars are absolutely one of the top two or three "coming off the bus" teams in the NFL. When you see them getting off the bus, or stepping onto the field, and you're first reaction is just, "Wow, look at how big those guys are."
More than that, they back up their appearances on the field. They bring some speed and a lot of size. And it's not just their standout defensive tackles, Marcus Stroud and John Henderson.
For many of the Jaguars, winning or losing is not as important as the action. They just like the action. And those guys are always dangerous.
http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9143345