The Cowboys ran a nice clinic on how to lose a playoff game.  They hit all the main bullet points.

As a resident of the Pacific Northwest....

With the Cowboys playing the Vikings in the playoffs, I was sure that the Seahawks would somehow find a way to broadcast one of their games and force the entire region to watch them suck rather than getting a real game on TV.

(People in Portland, Oregon hate the Seahawks for exactly that reason.  They have to watch the Seahawks rather than whatever awesome game the rest of the country is watching.)

Tharizdun wrote:Their playoff performances are predictable

Purple people eaters look like the best team now.

Tharizdun,

I suggest you stick to collecting art.  If you think the Vikings are the best team left I'm prepared to make any kind of art wager you would like that they do not win the SB or even the next game.  

Indy will destroy the Jets.  We were ahead when the coach pulled the troops back in December.  And now that Manning has seen the Jets defense once, he will pick them apart in the second meeting.  One last thing, everyone likes to point out that Indy's defense isn't that good.  Yet, so far in the playoffs no one has scored a touchdown on them.  Held Baltimore to a field goal and put 20 points on the 2nd best defense.

To me it looks like Indy against the Saints.  Great game - honestly do not see who has the advantage.

P.S.  I feel I owe the Cowboy Fans an apology.  You see Mr. Romo played ball at my Alma mater (Eastern Illinois University).  He could not win the big game there either.

Martin

Tharizdun wrote:
 Man up with your wager... I have a lot more art than you do

On the basis that the Vikings are going to stroll on to picking up the 'Bowl, Martin,  I wager Tharizduns stash of art that they beat the Indy Dolts....  17-14

Okay it's settled then, Ashmire bets Tharizdun's collection of art against my collection that the Vikings will beat the Colts 17 -14 in the SB.

Tharizdun:  you agree I'm an idiot for not taking that bet, right?  

Disclaimer:  This is not a actual wager.  

However, if Indy does win the SB I think Tharizdun could and should send me one piece of art from his collection in a reconcillitory gesture for trashing my team.  May I suggest the Frazier piece  

Martin

Prufrock wrote:P.S.  I feel I owe the Cowboy Fans an apology.  You see Mr. Romo played ball at my Alma mater (Eastern Illinois University).  He could not win the big game there either.

Martin

Exactly what big game would that be?    

It's kind of funny you say that Martin since pretty much every sportswriter on the planet used to say the exact same thing about Peyton Manning until he finally won the Super Bowl in 2006.  He was another great college quarterback that couldnt get his team past Florida or to the National Championship either.  There are still people saying that he won't be considered the greatest quarterback ever unless he wins another Super Bowl even though he will probably surpass most of the major passing records before he retires.  Bah!  I hate sportswriters...they change their minds more often than politicians.

Romo is a damn good quarterback who deserves to be regarded as such.  He is capable of winning big games (New Orleans, three wins against the Eagles this year) but it is pretty difficult to do much when your offensive line makes so many damn mistakes.  Of all the people that were responsible for losing this game, Romo should be last on the list.  Dallas' defense didnt show up.  Their secondary, which had done well the last few games, looked completely inept out there.  Their defensive line couldnt get to Favre, and anyone who knows anything about football knows that a team that can get pressure on the quarterback has the best chance of winning.  Their offensive line, which I thought was the key to their success this year, was atrocious.  They couldnt run the ball for shit so they had to go to the pass and that was taken away from them as well.  Throw in some stupid ass coaching mistakes and a couple of missed field goals and you have an awful recipe for disaster.

The Cowboys were outcoached and outmatched against the Vikings at home.  But saying that the Cowboys are overrated (tharizdun) or didnt deserve to be there is just nonsense.     A few years ago I would be rooting for the Vikings to win the Super Bowl because I can't stand the Saints but now that Favre is their quarterback I will be rooting for the Saints.  Kind of difficult to root for a guy who I have zero respect for.

Go Packers!

Home team always gets 3-4 pts.

Homefield advantage no longer exists to the extent that it once did. The only true homefield advantage remains in locations like Denver where the homefield players have a proven advantage.

Edit: This season has an unusual # of home teams winning compared to previous years this decade... look it up.

Tharizdun wrote:
Martin, I will give you an original TSR map if Indy wins the Superbowl. Only reason they won last time was cause they played against a terrible quarterback and overrated defense

I have to agree with your assessment of Chicago.  I was so sure that Indy would win and cover that I wagered over $1000 on that game.  

I think the Vikings have the kind of defense that could give Brees fits.  I think Mr. Allen is going to introduce himself to Mr. Brees several times during the game.  This game could be the upset next week.  My score prediction 35 - 30 Saints.

My score prediction of the Jets vs. Colts:  10 - 27.  It comes down to the fact that the Jets are not a high scoring team.  Yes, they have a great defense but Peyton has seen it once and the mystery is gone.  Peyton will score over 20 points and that spells doom for the Jets.  Indy's defense is better than most people think.  In fact, they are quite good.  That fact coupled with the Jets anemic offense spells a win for the Colts.

An original TSR Map - Hot damn, I can deal with that.

Martin

Tharizdun wrote:
Homefield advantage no longer exists to the extent that it once did. The only true homefield advantage remains in locations like Denver where the homefield players have a proven advantage.

The Vikes didn't have a proven advantage at home? Vikings won ALL of their home games this season....coincidence? They lost road games this year to much inferior foes (Panthers, Bears, etc). The Saints are better than any team the Vikes lost to this year.  There was/is no way on earth the bookies were going to call this game even, or give the Vikes any points, unless money starts pouring in on the Vikings side for some reason, which it won't. I really expect the line to go UP by the end of the week.

Which is why the bookies give 2 1/2-4 pts to the home team for homefield advantage when the teams are mostly evenly matched....they aren't going to call a game "even" because so much money would drop on the hometeam it would be crazy, especially in this case where a huge disparity does NOT exist. The 3-4 pts is a way of siphoning off some money to the away team in an "evenly matched" contest.

The Vikings were up 14 pts at halftime despite the Boys having two missed FGs, two fumbles, an Int, and other miscues.  The Vikes let dumb penalties take them out of scoring chances several times.  The score should have been 31-3 at halftime with Favre icing his arm and drinking gatorade to prepare for next week.  For Petersen, 8th straight game under 100 yds, and in a blowout, ran 63 yds (less than 3 yds a carry). Two weeks to prepare for the Cowboys, one week to prepare for Saints (and the Saints have a full extra day of rest) with travel included. All reasons for the homefield advantage in this case.

I'm not saying the Vikes won't take apart the Saints (I doubt it), but those are all reasons the home team in this case have been given pts.  The Vikes are legitimate underdogs here, and if they roll into the Big Easy thinking they just have to run Favre run out onto the field to win, they'll lose and lose big. BTW, if the situation was reversed and the game was being played in Minnesota, I'd roll the other way, and I bet the bookies would also....these are two really, really good home crowds!

I wonder how the Jets/Colts game is going to advance this week.  Bookies must be pulling their hair out.  Logically they should be giving the Jets 7-10 pts....at LEAST.  However after what the Jets have shown the last two weeks they are going to have to be cautious. History shows us that half the time one of the championship games is a blowout (team wins by 14-17 pts), and they have to be looking at this one.  But after what the Jets pulled in California this weekend, that all might be out the window.

Mike B.