2006-2007 NFL Playoffs Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

Yep, lots of dumb plays and penalties by the Chargers let the Patriots squeak another win despite them also playing like crap. Can't wait until Colts-Patriots next week.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Chargers outplayed the Pats, but New England kept its head and made the plays it needed to, while San Diego continued to shoot itself in the foot. The playoff experience and intelligence of the New England team was never more evident.

Now, can the Pats get in Manning's head one more time in the playoffs? It will be interesting to watch.

I'm still not impressed with the Bears. Seattle is a much weaker team than the one that played in the Super Bowl last year, yet they almost beat Chicago. I think the Saints win next weekend.

 

[Joseph S]

That was really amazing. The offense played like crap and the defense was not much better yet they still came out winners. Troy Brown and Kevin Faulk to the rescue again.

 

[Jan H]

Marty Schottenheimer has now invented his own category. Now, all other failed coaches in every sport can be said to have 'Schottenheimered' their way to a loss. Sheez, I don't even like the Chargers, but if I did, I'd be one pissed M'F'er. They had far better talent on both sides of the ball, but they got Schottenheimered.

Here's hoping Peyton can finally break through against the Pats. The Pats are the worst greatest team in professional sports history. Yeah, I don't understand what that means, either.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

BTW, do you think that extra time out that Marty lost on the useless challenge could have come in handy on that last drive? Maybe the Eagles coaching staff was helping with the clock management.

 

[Alex-C]

Absolutely !
Who the hell counseled Marty to challenge that play when it was clear on the replay as a fumble ?!?!?
Another timeout on the last drive may have = 1 more play which may have equalled 10 more yards which may have been all Kaeding needed.

I am so frickin pissed right now. Those shots of Marty on the sidelines gazing, slack jawed into air reminded me of lost senior citizens at the grocery store.

How about giving up 15 yds on the ensuing kickoff after that extra point eh ?
And how about that 3rd and 10 play ?

Fire Schottenheimer I say. What good is going to the playoffs if you can't win ?

I think the meltdown begain on that 2 min drill at the conclusion of the first half. Giving up that TD put the Pats squarely back into the game. Nice going Bolt defense.

How about that first drive pick by the Chargers. The a-hole jumped for the ball despite being all by himself. They were way to keyed up. I guess that is unavoidable. Rivers' numbers should have been better. I counted at least 4 -5 drop balls. How about that drop on the 1 yard line ? The one that was ruled a fumble then overturned. WTF ? Whatever happened to making a catch.

Also, nice crappy pass in the flat by Rivers who tried to finesse it over the Patriot defender. Ugh ! It was an ugly day for Charger fans. Their second half performance makes me want to barf.

 

[Tim Glover]

Brady wasn't even having a great game but the guy just never seems to lose composure. Unreal ice in his veins. Should be a great one next week in Indy. The Colts showed me alot yesterday against the Ravens and I think they will have their A game on. Not sure about my pick on that one just yet.

The Saints will beat the Bears.

 

[Michael_K_Sr]

Ultimate choke job by the Chargers. I couldn't believe how poor their clock management was on their final drive. Less than a minute, clock running and no timeouts and you put a receiver in motion?? What a joke.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I think it was Rivers who talked Marty into challenging the play.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I have been a fan or SD for a long time. Born and raised there (why else would I root for them, I can't help myself) and I have to agree with this comment, it was a choke.

But that is the Chargers, that is what they always do. It doesn't matter who's coaching them. We could have Bellicheck and he couldn't get them to win a playoff game. They may have an exciting season, but they always lose the big one at the end. The last time the Chargers went all the way was 1963 in Balboa Stadium against the Pats and SD won the AFL championship big time. Since then, its been one disappointment after another.

I my heart, I knew they wouldn't win at the end, after game one of the season. All my doubts were removed after the Pats scored at the end of the 1st half. The Charger D had them in control and then they just moved down the field like a hot knife thru soft butter.

4th and 11 and you go for it on the 40? Whose idea was that? Will Marty be back next year?

 

[Ray Chuang]

Will we have the I-65 Super Bowl?

 

[RobertR]

I understand you're emotional and frustrated, but that's going overboard. Winning it all is always a combination of the right coaching, talent, and luck. The Steelers took 41 years to win a championship before becoming one of the all time great teams. San Diego can at least say they've been in a Super Bowl, and have an AFL championship to their credit.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I find it amazing that a coach who's team went 14-2 could possibly be fired, but I do understand Charger fans frustration. Watching the game, I thought San Diego was clearly the superior team, but New England kept its composure and found a way to win while the Chargers self-destructed with mistake after mistake.

 

[Robert_Z]

Kaeding would have missed from 18 yards. His last FG miss at home was also in the playoffs a few years ago. He's not a pressure kicker.

Fire Marty? Then fire the players too. They sucked just as badly.

 

[Alex-C]

TO have a seasoned coach as Marty and have his players act that undisciplined is inexcusable ! No 2 ways about it.
Did you see Rivers and LT sitting on the bench when the Pats were driving for that last field goal. I bet you Brady would have been standing on the sidelines, loosening up, getting ready for his last ditch effort to get into FG territory if the situation were reversed.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I guess that means we've only had the right combination once, since 1963. BTW, even when they did make the SB, they were routed. They were big underdogs and I remember hoping for one quarter of competitive football. The game was over after the first time the niners had the ball.

Am I emotional, sure, but this may have been the best Charger team ever, talent-wise. Frankly, they chocked and lost to a lesser team. Marty's decision to go for it on 4th and 11, his decision to challenge the interception fumble costing them a timeout were huge mistakes. Than you have the dropped passes, the personal fouls, the fumbled interception (on 4th down, if he had knocked it down the Chargers get the ball). And don't get me started on how easily the Pats scored at the end of the first half. If there's one guy on the defense I don't like, its Jammer and he gave up the long ball on the winning drive.

And who's to say what the team will be like next year. Players come and go, this may have been their high-water mark. Can we count on LT to have another year like this one? He sure deserved better yesterday.

Ya gotta give it to the Bolts, they were creative in finding ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

If you were to tell me ahead of time that we'd intercept Brady 3 times, LT would have over 180 yards of offense, score two touchdowns...well I'd start putting the win in the bank. But nooooo! The Chargers find a way, they always have. And it hasn't mattered who the coach was.

Still, isn't it pretty clear the Marty is not a championship coach by now? Either the Pats know how to select players that deliver in the clinch, or the know how to get the best out of their players or maybe its both. Something the Chargers do not do. Marty can't seem to get his players ready to play in the post-season. This game reminded me of the last loss in the playoffs to the jets.

BTW, don't blame this on Kaeding. Any team that puts itself in the position of needing a 54 yarder just to tie, when only a few moments earlier it had an 11 point lead, well they deserve to lose.

 

[Bryan X]

I know you're frustrated and rightfully so. But keep in mind Pittsburgh went 15-1 and didn't win the Super Bowl only to come back the following year with a record that barely got them in the playoffs, but won it all.

It takes a talented team, but with the NFL it also takes luck.

FWIW, my predictions for this weekend:

Colts over Pats
Saints over Bears

Manning gets his ring.

 

[Alex-C]

Right up until that 2 min clinic put on by Brady at the end of the first half, the Pats were totally dominated. Brady was like 3-8 for about 50 yards (give or take). Their run game had done absolutely nothing.

I was yelling at the TV...this is the biggest drive of the game for the Bolts. If the Pats go into the locker room with a TD, they are totally in this game, then Simms said it (only referring to a FG).

The Pats executed well on that drive. Faulk had a good run.

Anyway, the team that came out in the second half differed so much from the first half. Parker really kills me. First he tanks their first drive by dropping a 3rd down pass that would have resulted in first down. Then he drops another pass that would have lead to a first down, then later in the first quarter he falls down on a reverse at the worst possible spot. This is why you put the ball in the hands of your playmakers like LT, Gates, etc.

Then later he drops the punt and then, inexplicably tries to pick it up. I mean, what the hell was Parker doing ? While not causing the game; you can't pin a loss on any one person, he really did cause a lot of problems.
That first drive, SD looked like they were going to score.
Also, by falling down on that lame call (reverse), he effectively took them out of field goal range.

I also think the Bolts' secondary, all in all, played poorly. After watching the game 2 more times, you could feel the desperation of the Pats after that Turner TD to make it 14-3. If the half ended right there, the Pats go in to the locker room totally beaten; of course, they are the class of the NFL, so I have no doubt they would have come out and rallied.

I think not kicking the field goal on that 4th and 11 wasnt all that big of a deal. They were still playing well on defense. NE hadn't had a first down yet. I mean, in the end, sure, that was big, but at the time, not too big a deal. Of course, Marty's reasoning was he wanted to send a message of dominance, well shit-for-brains, you do that by shutting down their offense. Do that all game, and you are bound to win.

I said it earlier in this thread, I didnt trust Marty and his Marty ball approach. In '04 the Chargers went 12-4, they had LT, Gates and Brees. The same crappy coach laid a big fat turd in their first playoff game vs a weaker Jets team.

The window of oppurtunity is only open for a short time in the NFL, running backs get battered and are gone after only a few years (Priest), you may only get one or possibly two chances with a high caliber team (Raiders in 2003), parity causes players to leave (Michael Turner this offseason), so if I am Smith, after this loss, I can Marty. 1 of these I can forget and move on, after this one, Marty has to go.
How many of these would you expect to endure ? He has lost 6 (6!!!!) straight post season games, and in the last 2 he had a clearly superior team with superior talent.

Can you imagine Marty in the Superbowl this year ? With the decisions he has made in the playoffs ?

As a side note, how good is Joe Montana ? Of all the stats and accolades, how about this one, he was so good, he was able to overcome Marty's playoff coaching to win a post season game.

 

[RobertR]

I don't disagree about him. I said before that he's never shown he can coach a team to a championship. All I'm saying is that these failures say nothing about the future, and he isn't synonymous with the team, any more than all those losing coaches before Chuck Knoll.

 

[Malcolm R]

Why does everyone call the Chargers the "Bolts"? I know it's the lightning bolts on their helmets, but still....isn't their name the "Chargers"? What's so difficult about saying "Chargers"?

If they want to be called the "Bolts," then change their name to the "Bolts".

No one calls the Colts the "Shoes" or Dallas the "Stars".