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We'll, its one thing to do it in the regular season (amazing comeback), but to do it in the playoffs w/so much on the line is pretty special.
I think its obvious Atlanta has a huge edge in the field goal kicking department. I haven't spent much time reading the 49er blogs but I'd be curious to find out what the heck happened to Akers...the guy was money but something happened this year and he's fallen off the cliff....I think most 49er fans hold their breath when he kicks now....Bryant is rediculous. The guy's got a cannon for a leg. He's one of a handful that I'd want kicking.... Phil Dawson comes to mind, the guy from Tennessee was money (cant remember his name)....That one from 49 that Bryant kicked to win it would've been good from 59 IMO.
You have to wonder why Tampa never re-signed Bryant. He's an FG kicker that flies under the radar:
Say Atlanta lost the game 28-27. Who would Arthur Blank have fired by now? Would Mike Smith's head be on the chopping block?
Just curious who Atlanta fans think would've been canned....
IMHO... Nobody.
I think Blank would have given it one more year.
Look what Smith walked into... A franchise in disarray after Michael Vick. A franchise that had never had back to back winning seasons in 40+ years.
They went 11-5 and made the playoffs in Ryan's first year... Remarkable after the joke that was 2007.
5 straight winning seasons. 56 regular season wins in 5 years... Second only to New England.
Mike Smith is the most successful coach in Atlanta history. I like the guy. I just want to see playoff results.
The GM has also done a nice job. He knew after the GB loss in 2010 we needed help offensively... Roddy White couldn't do it all. Trading 2 #1 picks to move up and draft Julio Jones was brilliant. The guy is beast. Atlanta has arguably the best receiving in the league.
Dirk K and Mike Nolan have done great jobs in their first years as OC and DC.
I don't think Blank makes any moves, irrespective of wins or losses. The Falcons, as I see it, have one of the 5 most stable franchises in tact for a run the next 3 years, which is as big of a window as one could hope for. Players like Turner or Abraham might have to be replaced due to mileage, but the core (Smith-Ryan) are in tact. Gonzalez should hang around one more year if they don't win it all this season, because they will be right up there with the likes of the Packers and the 49ers as pre-season favorites to make it to the Super Bowl next year.
In New England, it's not just a contest between New England's insane passing attack and Baltimore's defense; we now have to consider Joe Flacco a legitimate deep-ball passer. We also have to acknowledge that the Ravens have done a nice job of balancing the offense lately.
I always start with the lines. Baltimore got to Manning and Luck in their first two games, but getting to Brady's going to be hard; he releases the ball quickly and the Pats o-line is intelligent and skilled, and they pass and run block extremely well. Brady can test the DBs and he can also go underneath. I think that it's Brady's ability to check off receivers and get it to a fourth or fifth target that makes the Pats hard to stop, but because they're playing the most experienced and skilled group of defenders in the league, that will be a harder process for Brady and he stands a greater risk of going down to the turf in this game. I think Ridley will have to have a decent game, but the key will be how to get Ridley involved - do they try to soften up the run with the pass or vice versa?
Offensively, the Ravens will have a hard time testing New England's vastly improved secondary from a few years ago. If they have success moving the ball, it will probably have to involve Ray Rice and mixing it up with a combination of short passes and a run here and there. This game is going to be a chess match and it will come down to which team can add the most wrinkles without getting too far away from what they do best. I like what Baltimore's doing but damn...it's just hard to bet against coach Bellichick and Brady in this one. They're just the masters of preparation. Still, let's not forget that Baltimore was a dropped pass away from the Super Bowl last year. I'm going with New England in this one, but just barely, and this could go either way. New England 23 Baltimore 21. I could see this coming down to either a made or missed field goal, or a stalled drive by either team.
One thing to watch: Ray Rice has put the ball on the ground a time or two in recent weeks. Rare, but the fact that it's happened in potentially big games is something to keep in the memory bank.
This year's Super Bowl is in New Orleans and it's ironic that the Saints won't be playing in it because I'm sure the Saints fans were hoping for their team to be playing in it but they won't be because they didn't even make the playoffs this year partly because their head coach was caught cheating and partly because they got old and partly because they had to play a tougher schedule than they're use to.
well, I am beginning to think that the Super Bowl is a jinx for the home field team. The Cowboys were hoping for a Super Bowl the year the Super Bowl was played in Dallas.. they were coming off a playoff season and they crashed hard. The Colts were hoping for a Super Bowl year last year when the game was in Indy.. i don't have to tell you what happened to them.. this year the Saints.. next year.. GIANTs or JETs.. pick one!
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