It's Championship Weekend in the NFL today. Unfortunately, we'll be forced to see one of our divisional foes win a trip to the Super Bowl. Largely due to how arrogant some of the Ravens fans have been this season, I would rather see Pittsburgh go to the Super Bowl en route to a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
3:00 PM EST: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Arizona Cardinals
6:30 PM EST: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
This is an open thread to discuss both of today's games. I plan on particularly being around to comment during the AFC Championship game. Snow is in the forecast throughout that entire game, something that should add even more excitement to the contest.
More incentive for the Ravens to lose: that would mean the Browns could hire George Kokinis for the general manager position as soon as tomorrow. With a Ravens win, we'll have to wait two more weeks -- duing which Kokinis could "decide to stay where he's comfortable".
0 recs | 46 comments
Cardinals making it look easy on their first drive for the TD.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
I <3 the Arizona offense.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
If only there were a coaching candidate from that place that knew AFC North football. I especially like candidates that have experience in offensive line work. Then, we could have interviewed him before making a decision on a coach, maybe even hired a GM first or something. If only…
Fundamentals - January 18, 2009
What has Russ Grimm ever done to warrant a look at HC that has been better than what Mangini has done?
He sucked as our Oline coach. Then again, we didn’t have much of a line.
Still, why not wait to get upset with our new coach until he at least loses a game?
rufio - January 18, 2009
I’m not upset with the coach. I’m upset with the process that led to his hire.
Fundamentals - January 18, 2009
I’m upset with both.
danvail - January 19, 2009
Arizona’s offensive coordinator is only four years older than Kurt Warner.
gahnki - January 18, 2009
Unbelievable turnaround in this NFC Championship game…let’s see if the Cardinals can regroup and re-take the lead.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Cardinals win!
(The Cleveland Browns organization and past 40-year-history is pathetic.)
ploni - January 18, 2009
And the Cardinals aren’t? One game doesn’t change anything.
Buckeye Brad - January 18, 2009
Continuing with that thought, the Browns have had much more success in the past 40 years than the Cardinals, and it’s not even close.
Buckeye Brad - January 18, 2009
Losing, controversies, accusations, mismanagement, and unprofessional play . . .
The Browns have had the most minimal success in the past 45 years while other organizations have far surpassed them in every category.
The truth is, the Cardinals, like the Buccaneers earlier, have put together a Super Bowl-legit team while the Browns founder and flounder again.
My statement stands, the Browns organization is pathetic.
ploni - January 18, 2009
Tell that to potential future you.
danvail - January 19, 2009
I cannot believe Arizona is going to the Super Bowl. Wow — I mean, wow!! I wonder what the Vegas odds were on that when the playoffs started. Nobody expected them to win one game! Just shows what can happen if you get hot at the right time.
Buckeye Brad - January 18, 2009
When the playoffs started, Philly was 12:1 to win the Super Bowl and Baltimore was 15:1 (i considered both very heavily, but now glad that I laid off). I want to say Arizona was something outrageous like 50:1 (as was Miami), but I can’t be sure. I do know that even after beating Atlanta, they were still only 25:2 to win the NFC, so some dumb math would say that 50:1 on the Super Bowl was about right.
rolub - January 18, 2009
and espn’s “gambling for dummies” article states that the Cardinals were 40:1 to win the Super Bowl heading into the playoffs, which jives with the number that i heard from somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody who gambles online. Since there were no dominating AFC teams like the Pats or Colts in years’ past, there was probably little if no discount on the Super Bowl odds, so Arizona was probably between 20:1 and 25:1 to win the NFC.
rolub - January 19, 2009
Heads up job by John Harbaugh to challenge the Holmes catch by the goal line. We would’ve never seen anything close to that under Crennel.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Because it happened in the playoffs?
Brad D - January 18, 2009
Heh…two reasons with one stone.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Could we see Byron Leftwich?
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
I was surprised that they didn’t call roughing the QB on the play that Woerthlessberger got hammered. Ben is such a drama queen that he usually gets those calls.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Yeah, it was close to borderline, but I think it was an acceptable non-call.
Roethlisberger stays in after being checked out by the trainers.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Lebron
Can I just say that everytime I see that “Lebron plays for the Browns” commercial, it makes me sad. Can you imagine how much Lebron would dominate? The Browns sure could use him at WR/DB/anywhere on the field
D-Rock - January 18, 2009
I wonder if there was any “King of Cleveland” animosity toward Braylon while doing that commercial.
I also wonder if LeBron ever feels slighted because Clevelanders love to complain about the Browns even though the Cavs are the best team in the NBA.
rufio - January 18, 2009
Nice tackle by the punter.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
I love the way Jim Leonhard has been playing the past several weeks…he’s been a really big addition to a secondary that was originally pegged as too thin.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
At least…I had pegged them as too thin (much like I did ours at the start of the season).
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Limas Sweed making Braylon Edwards look good.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Horrible call by the officials there…no way Mitch Berger was roughed.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
They’re the Steelers. They get those calls most of the time.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
On the flip side, I think the pass interference call against them was kind of cheap.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Seemed pretty clearly pass interference to me. The ball was in the air and the contact impeded the receiver’s ability to catch the ball. I think you have to make that call.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Vicious block by Sweed.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Why is it that most sportscaster don’t know that an end around is not a reverse and a reverse is not a double reverse?
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Classic faceguarding. Stupid play by Ike Taylor.
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
The game is close, but this one isn’t even close to the excitement of the Titans/Ravens game from last week (or the Eagles/Cardinals game from earlier today).
Ravens have a chance to go ahead with a drive here…hopefully they don’t.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Ha…what a dumb penalty by Stone.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Just like the dumb late hit that Demps had on Kurt Warner this morning.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
Polamalu with the game-sealer.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
That was a legal hit?
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Why not?
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
The helmet to helmet really doesn’t apply to a ballcarrier downfield?
woodsmeister - January 18, 2009
Don’t think so.
Chris Pokorny - January 18, 2009
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