Super Bowl XLVII: Houston Texans vs Atlanta Falcons

[cmarq83]

Originally Posted by AntoinCD

Who would have thought the Giants would get to the Superbowl last year despite sneaking into the playoffs and having GB and New Orleans there? The Cardinals a few years back are another example.

The first few weeks are good to get off to a good start, but the only important thing is making it to the playoffs. Any team can get hot in January and make it.

I really like how Atlanta look right now, but I'm not sure I would take them over Green Bay.

The AFC looks more manageable for Houston, but bear in mind they have only been to the playoffs once in their history, and not with Matt Schaub. How does he cope with the pressure?

This is a very good point not only for Schaub, but for the entire team. The AFC is filled with battle tested playoff teams. What the Texans have in terms of talent might be able to be overcome by the experience of teams like the Ravens, Steelers, Patriots, Jets, and San Diego. All it takes is one game to be out.

[bearsfan_51]

I love the narcissism that makes someone think they should create a separate thread to tell people who they think should win the Superbowl. Thanks, random person, for your kneejerk and ultimately wrong prediction.

Joined this month and has 25 posts. Nice.

[cmarq83]

Originally Posted by bearsfan_51

I love the narcissism that makes someone think they should create a separate thread to tell people who they think should win the Superbowl. Thanks, random person, for your kneejerk and ultimately wrong prediction.

Joined this month and has 25 posts. Nice.

J-Spot is pretty awful. In the rookie thread I found out from him that you take D-Lineman in the first regardless of the grade you have on them, Linebackers are completely homogenous, Trent Cole is just a lunch pail try hard average player, and that stopping the run in the NFL is "immaterial".

[Halsey]

This thread proves that Arthur Blank is the man at drafting QBs.

[eaglesalltheway]

Real ballsy move there, bro, picking the two teams that look the best after three weeks.

I swear it seems like most football fans forget that the season is 16 games long.

[Thecollegedropout]

Atlanta needs to win a playoff game 1st for me to buy into them. If they get past that hump, then they have a GREAT shot at the SB(Not saying that to be captain obvious with 4/2 teams remaining at that point in the postseason). That's a gigantic mountain to climb though mentally. I just don't know if Smith and Ryan have that in them. They've really **** the bed in nearly all of their playoff games besides in 2008 vs ARI.

Agree with HOU AS LONG AS Schaub stays healthy. Big if though.....but he earned respect for what he did yesterday.

[Bulldogs]

Originally Posted by Thecollegedropout

Atlanta needs to win a playoff game 1st for me to buy into them. If they get past that hump, then they have a GREAT shot at the SB(Not saying that to be captain obvious with 4/2 teams remaining at that point in the postseason). That's a gigantic mountain to climb though mentally. I just don't know if Smith and Ryan have that in them. They've really **** the bed in nearly all of their playoff games besides in 2008 vs ARI.

Agree with HOU AS LONG AS Schaub stays healthy. Big if though.....but he earned respect for what he did yesterday.

I have no question we'll get over the hump in the near future. It's been said many times before but guys like Peyton Manning were also 0-3 in the start of their playoff careers. Will we win the Superbowl this year? Probably not, but I think we win a game or two in the postseason this time around.

[Eazy Picks]

I think as evidenced by the Giants last year, and the Packers the year before that, its not about who starts the season hot, but who finishes the season hot.

That being said, the Texans and Falcons have very complete teams. Excellent defenses, good coaches, seasoned QBs, good run games, playmakers in the pass game...They are clearly both SB contenders, and no surprise to me they both won this week.

[SuperPacker]

Oh god. This thread.

[Rosebud]

Wouldn't Atlanta need to win a playoff game to make it to the superbowl?...Thought so, yeah, that's not happening.

[katnip]

I picked the Texans preseason. But. Also, the Packers.

[Ness]

Didn't the Buccaneers start 3-1 last year?

[Bulldogs]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

Wouldn't Atlanta need to win a playoff game to make it to the superbowl?...Thought so, yeah, that's not happening.

We're going to win a playoff game at some point. This year is as good a time as any.

[nrk]

Originally Posted by Ness

Didn't the Buccaneers start 3-1 last year?

Yep, so did Washington before losing 6 straight games.

Originally Posted by Bulldogs

We're going to win a playoff game at some point. This year is as good a time as any.

I think Atlanta will finally win a playoff game with Ryan. Superbowl? Maybe if they get on a roll in the playoffs.

[onejayhawk]

Originally Posted by J-Spot

I'm calling it right now, halfway into Week 3.

There are no two better teams in the league in the NFC and AFC, respectively, than Atlanta and Houston.

Both have explosive offenses backed by elite defensive units. Houston and Atlanta might have the two best *passing* defenses in the NFL and that's what wins these days. And of course, Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub are two of the most efficient quarterbacks playing in the game today. There might be better pure quarterbacks, but none that have the support of a better defense.

You were scooped by a month, but I am glad you agree with me.

J

[eaglesalltheway]

Originally Posted by onejayhawk

You were scooped by a month, but I am glad you agree with me.

J

J-Spot... J


Not fooling anyone here with this nonsense...

[J-Spot]

Originally Posted by Eazy Picks

I think as evidenced by the Giants last year, and the Packers the year before that, its not about who starts the season hot, but who finishes the season hot.

That being said, the Texans and Falcons have very complete teams. Excellent defenses, good coaches, seasoned QBs, good run games, playmakers in the pass game...They are clearly both SB contenders, and no surprise to me they both won this week.

Contrary to popular belief, both the 2010 Packers and 2011 Giants actually started off the season pretty well. Both teams looked like Super Bowl Contenders in the first four weeks.

The 2011 Giants started out laying an egg in their game with the Redskins, but then dismantled the Rams and Eagles in back-to-back weeks, and then gutted out a gritty road win against the Cardinals:

Week 1: Redskins 28, Giants 14
Week 2: Giants 28, Rams 16
Week 3: Giants 29, Eagles 16
Week 4: Giants 31, Cardinals 27

The 2010 Packers started out with a road victory over the Eagles, then demolished the Bills, then lost a close game to the Bears in which they were over-penalized, then gutted out a tough win over the Lions.

Week 1: Packers 27, Eagles 20
Week 2: Packers 34, Bills 7
Week 3: Bears 20, Packers 17
Week 4: Packers 28, Lions 26

And if you remember correctly , the Packers were a preseason pick by almost everyone to win it all prior to the 2010 season, so it was no real surprise that they eventually won it, despite a rough stretch of games in the middle of the season that made them fall to 10-6.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by Bulldogs

We're going to win a playoff game at some point. This year is as good a time as any.

How do you figure? I'd still take the Giants, Packers, 9ers over you guys for sure, while the Bears, Iggles and Cowboys would probably knock you off.

[d34ng3l021]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

How do you figure? I'd still take the Giants, Packers, 9ers over you guys for sure, while the Bears, Iggles and Cowboys would probably knock you off.

The Bears that scored 16 offensive points against the All-World defense of the Rams at home? The Giants and Cowboys that nearly got beaten by Tampa Bay at home? The Iggles would be a curious match-up - what would happen when the team that leads the NFL in TO differential meets with the team that is ranked 31st in TO differential? 49ers and Packers would be interesting match ups, I'll give you that.

[onejayhawk]

Originally Posted by eaglesalltheway

J-Spot... J


Not fooling anyone here with this nonsense...

I am not trying to fool anyone. What's with that?

If you are under the impression J-Spot and I are the same poster, then you are mistaken. Ask anyone that knows my style.

J

[Bulldogs]

Originally Posted by Rosebud

How do you figure? I'd still take the Giants, Packers, 9ers over you guys for sure, while the Bears, Iggles and Cowboys would probably knock you off.

We'll see, I'll be looking back at this come January.

[Rosebud]

Originally Posted by d34ng3l021

The Bears that scored 16 offensive points against the All-World defense of the Rams at home? The Giants and Cowboys that nearly got beaten by Tampa Bay at home? The Iggles would be a curious match-up - what would happen when the team that leads the NFL in TO differential meets with the team that is ranked 31st in TO differential? 49ers and Packers would be interesting match ups, I'll give you that.

No, I'm talking about the versions of those teams come playoff time, obviously things would be very different if the playoffs started 4 weeks into the season, but fortunately in the NFL the season is long. Come playoff time offensive lines will be playing better, defenses will be settled in, players will have remembered how to tackle and the Falcons would lose to at least 4 teams in the NFC that they might be matched up with.

Atlanta just can't hit as high a gear as teams like the Bears, Giants, Packers, Eagles and 9ers. The defense doesn't have the personnel to dominate in the playoffs and the running game's unspectacular. While Matt Ryan is a fine QB I'm still not sure he can step up and carry the team when the **** hits the fan against the elite teams, even with those magnificent WRs.