2012 NFL Conference Championship Discussion Thread. - Page 4

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 12:21 PM

Ravens fans, what happened to Jimmy Smith? I was such a big fan of his, but I don't ever see him play.

He played last year and he did pretty well, why is he not playing anymore?

Cudders · 01-15-2013, 12:26 PM

All right, I’ll be the devil’s advocate. I wouldn’t have done what Fox did, but the armchair criticism is getting ridiculous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdrylie

These are 31 seconds left, two time outs, and kicking in Mile High (especially with a very good kicker in Prater), they only needed 40-45 yards to give them a very good chance at a make. And you're great defense was getting torched all game.

1.) The wind chill at that point was hovering around zero.
2.) Manning had thrown a grand total of two passes downfield to that point.
3.) The Ravens were protecting against intermediate-to-deep passes.
4.) Your offense had manufactured one drive longer than 20 yards in the second half.
5.) Your quarterback put the ball on the ground twice on sacks.
6.) In pre-game, coaches get a good feel for their kicker’s distance.
7.) Prater has never made a 50-yard field goal in his career when the temperature is below 40 degrees.
8.) Prater missed a 52-yard field goal before the half.
9.) Prater would have kicked against the wind.
10.) Denver had just taken a massive punch to the gut. Fox is roaming the sidelines and can gauge his team’s mindset. I wouldn’t want to ask a group of dejected men to attempt aggression.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrdrylie

Oh, the momentum changed? Well the momentum sure changed in the first half of the Atlanta-Seattle game. I guess the Seahawks should have just packed it in at halftime. But they got the lead late. That sure changed momentum. I suppose the Falcons should have just kneeled the ball to end the game. People often times care too much about momentum. The fact is, momentum swings (if there really is such a thing in sports) happen so often, they are irrelevant most of the time.

Momentum in the short-term and momentum in the long-term are two different things. Seattle had time to collect themselves. Denver didn’t. There was no separation from emotion. It went from “Wow, we just blew it…” to “Offense on the field!” in no time.

And Atlanta had no other choice. If the Falcons don’t drive the ball downfield, the Seahawks win. If the Broncos don’t drive the ball downfield, the Ravens just go to overtime. Their circumstances were more dire. Not to mention, it’s easier for Atlanta to throw deep in a dome when vertical concepts have been called throughout.

Like I said, I wouldn’t have just thrown in the towel there, but I can understand the reasons that Fox did. In fact, the decision to kneel wasn’t even the biggest clock management issue I had with Denver. I would’ve preferred to see them put the ball in Manning’s hand on 3rd & 7 and ice the game. You went out and got an elite quarterback for a reason. For need-to-convert situations. Use him instead of a third-string running back.

Giantsfan1080 · 01-15-2013, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Ravens fans, what happened to Jimmy Smith? I was such a big fan of his, but I don't ever see him play.

He played last year and he did pretty well, why is he not playing anymore?

He played ST the other day. It's a pretty big knock against him though that he can't start at CB for them when they were hit with injuries badly.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 12:36 PM

Who cares what Fox did? It's irrelevant. The Broncos got the ball in overtime and didn't score. So what difference did it make?

The discussion is only relevant if Baltimore got the ball to start OT and went and scored a TD with it, thus giving Denver no opportunities to score back.

But that didn't happen. Denver had a couple of possessions to score in OT and didn't. So kneeling at the end of regulation is irrelevant. It makes no difference at all.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giantsfan1080

He played ST the other day. It's a pretty big knock against him though that he can't start at CB for them when they were hit with injuries badly.

I know. Which is more puzzling to me bc he actually looked pretty damn good last year when he played. He covered Andre Johnson in the playoffs, did an amazing job vs the Patriots in the playoffs as well. How does he go from that to not starting this year? I don't get it.

Brodeur · 01-15-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Bill Leavy will ref the Patriots/Ravens game.

Ravens fans, you've been warned.

Oh please, like Leavy won't hug the Ravens nuts just like the refs last week.

Ness · 01-15-2013, 01:09 PM

coordinator0 · 01-15-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Ravens fans, what happened to Jimmy Smith? I was such a big fan of his, but I don't ever see him play.

He played last year and he did pretty well, why is he not playing anymore?

He was playing quite a bit earlier in the year then he got hurt and both Graham and Brown have been playing pretty well lately so I don't think they want to change things up. Smith had some ups and downs this season too. I'm not really worried about him yet though.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coordinator0

He was playing quite a bit earlier in the year then he got hurt and both Graham and Brown have been playing pretty well lately so I don't think they want to change things up. Smith had some ups and downs this season too. I'm not really worried about him yet though.

You figure your 1st round pick would get dibs on the starting lineup though. Why a healthy scratch? Losing Webb should have increased his workload if anything.

coordinator0 · 01-15-2013, 01:25 PM

Healthy scratch? Huh? After Webb went down Smith was starting next to Williams, then Smith himself got hurt and had to have surgery.

Babylon · 01-15-2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ness

The move has turned out well for the Niners but we'll never know how the team would have fared this year with Smith in there, do we.

To me it's still a douchebag move.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coordinator0

Healthy scratch? Huh? After Webb went down Smith was starting next to Williams, then Smith himself got hurt and had to have surgery.

But he's healthy now. So why isn't he starting?

Xonraider · 01-15-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylon

The move has turned out well for the Niners but we'll never know how the team would have fared this year with Smith in there, do we.

To me it's still a douchebag move.

It is a business. You do what you feel is the best for the team, even if it means being a douche some times.

coordinator0 · 01-15-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

But he's healthy now. So why isn't he starting?

Because Graham and Brown have been playing really well. Like I said before Smith had some ups and down this season too. I also heard something that Smith's work ethic is lacking (especially compared to Brown) although I'm not sure if that's true or not. I'm not too worried about him though.

SuperPacker · 01-15-2013, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylon

The move has turned out well for the Niners but we'll never know how the team would have fared this year with Smith in there, do we.

To me it's still a douchebag move.

How is wanting your team to be the best it can be a douchebag move? A douchebag move would be forgetting about what your job is and the fans that support the franchise, by doing something you don't think will benefit the team.

Babylon · 01-15-2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xonraider

It is a business. You do what you feel is the best for the team, even if it means being a douche some times.

For sure. Thing is it pretty much has never been done in the history of the sport. Yeah Belichick replaced a good QB in Bledsoe for Brady but Drew had missed two months with an injury. Smith was playing his best football and his last full game was 18 for 19 for a couple of hundred yards.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 02:24 PM

Smith wasn't good. That's why he got benched. It's really that simple. He never threw it down the field, he completely crippled that offense.

Sure, he took care of the ball. That's what happens when your qb forces you to run it 65% of the time, and the other 35% of your plays are screens and check downs to the RB.

He wasn't good. That's why he's on the bench. That's why they tried replacing him in the offseason. He's just not good.

Jvig43 · 01-15-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Smith wasn't good. That's why he got benched. It's really that simple. He never threw it down the field, he completely crippled that offense.

Sure, he took care of the ball. That's what happens when your qb forces you to run it 65% of the time, and the other 35% of your plays are screens and check downs to the RB.

He wasn't good. That's why he's on the bench. That's why they tried replacing him in the offseason. He's just not good.

Youre just scared he was eventually surpassing Eli in terms of top QB rankings, obvious Giants homer is obvious.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jvig43

Youre just scared he was eventually surpassing Eli in terms of top QB rankings, obvious Giants homer is obvious.

Why am I a Giants fan who is constantly catching himself not minding if the Patriots win another SB?

Stop having so many Giants in your organization so I can start hating you guys.

farfromforgotten · 01-15-2013, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylon

For sure. Thing is it pretty much has never been done in the history of the sport.

Which would make it more of a "ballsy" move than a douche bag move, right?

Jvig43 · 01-15-2013, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Why am I a Giants fan who is constantly catching himself not minding if the Patriots win another SB?

Stop having so many Giants in your organization so I can start hating you guys.

Probably because youve crushed our hearts twice in the past five years, the first time sincerely changed how passionate I allow myself to get for this game.

Jerks.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jvig43

Probably because youve crushed our hearts twice in the past five years, the first time sincerely changed how passionate I allow myself to get for this game.

Jerks.

Stop being spoiled. Imagine being a Browns can for a second. Yeah.

I just love Bellichick. He's still a Giant in my <3

Jvig43 · 01-15-2013, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbluedefense

Stop being spoiled. Imagine being a Browns can for a second. Yeah.

I just love Bellichick. He's still a Giant in my <3

Well luckily for both of us we don't have to imagine that.

bigbluedefense · 01-15-2013, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jvig43

Well luckily for both of us we don't have to imagine that.

You guys should send us a thank you card for dicking around this year and missing the playoffs so you could win another SB.

niel89 · 01-16-2013, 03:25 AM

Why are people so convinced that the 49ers and Patriots are just going to roll this weekend? The Falcons and Ravens didn't get here by luck. Kaepernick could easily play like young QBs do. I understand the Patriots are probably the better team, but 9 point favorites is a bit much for me. Every team this weekend has a legit shot to win in my eyes.