The headline of Hartford Courant sports writer Jeff Jacobs’ sports-section-leading piece in today’s paper reads: “Pats-Giants: Start the Crazy Clock”. (The online headline was cleaned up a bit, making clear this is just a prediction and that the Courant hadn’t mistakenly sent out tomorrow’s sports page today.) It seems a little rude for a professional writer to jump the gun like that but, honestly, it sure does seem like we’re on course for a rematch of 2008′s extraordinary tilt, doesn’t it? Do we really believe the Patriots aren’t going to steamroll the Ravens? Do we really believe that Alex Smith is going to get it done against a Giants defense that just smacked the shit out of Aaron Rodgers a week after smothering Matt Ryan? As the ESPN guys say, Come on, Man!
Ravens @ Patriots (3:00 PM): I wish that sense of inevitability wasn’t there on the AFC side of the ledger. Normally, yeah, I want to see the Super Bowl matchup that brings me the best football or at least the best story lines, but not where the Pats are involved. Keeping them as far away from another ring as possible is at the top of my wish list. I just don’t think Flacco and company have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting it done. Patriots 35 – Ravens 17
Giants @ Niners (6:30 PM): This should be a much more competitive game. You can’t dismiss San Francisco after everything they’ve accomplished this year. They are a substantial football team. There’s a lot of there there. And yet, at the risk of… well… OK, being corny, let’s say… um… fuck it: This Giants team has the Eye of the Tiger, dammit! They’ve got a vibe that they will not be denied. Giants 31 – Niners 28
Half hour until kickoff. Can’t wait.
Sorry to miss the SB couch, amigo, but going to a SB party IRL. Go Giants!
What a punch in the gut. First, that was a TD catch. Second, how the FUCK do you miss that field goal? Jesus Christ, Team Evil is going to the Super Bowl AGAIN.
OK, hope is alive. Barely.
Fuck Vince Wilfork. Seriously.
Oh, you meant next game. Absolutely rooting for the Fighting Elis. Hey, fan of all things Manning, y’know?
I’m rooting against the Pats. I cannot bring myself to root ‘for’ the Ravens. I loathe them. They are traitors to a great sports city and their most famous player is an accessory to murder after the fact. YUCK.
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111
Oh, fucking HELL.
Yeah, ugh. Still, this is a very competitive game. Hope the next one is this tight, since I’ll actually have a rooting interest in that one.
Who you rooting for?
Ugh.
WOW, Pats seldom cough it up like that. Good deal!! Happy happy Tori, I’m sure.
Raven WR was flagrantly holding face mask on the TD. I’m stunned they didn’t call it.
WOO HOO!!!
Wow. Never thought I’d see Pats kneel out the half with that much time left. Low scoring defensive struggle has to favor the Ravens, I think.
‘cuz Tom Brady?
Good point.
How the hell is that not intentional grounding?
A little, ya say? LOL. I thought ‘breakin’ da jinx’ a few years ago would’ve gotten Beantown to chill a bit.
“Cougar” jumped the shark quite some time ago. The fact that it’s now common parlance in advertising is just further proof.
Ravens are showing the toughness to do this, that’s true. I wish I could get more worked up about this game; it’s a good, competitive game. I just… utterly hate these fucking teams. Cheaters v. Traitors leaves shift going BLAH.
For what it’s worth, Boston is even worse. We’re a little fuckin’ high-strung about our sports up here, OK?!
Yeah, that is the commercial. When did “cougar” in the sexual sense go mainstream? Anyway, the NY market is insane. They shit on EVERYBODY who isn’t winning a title rightnowthisminuteanysportfuggedaboutit.
Well, Ravens to a punch and threw one right back. Gotta be happy about that.
The commercial with all the people in red shirts flooding out of the building?
Holy SHIT was that tight. In real time I thought it was intercepted for for minute.
See, ‘Shift, I’m too close to the NY market. EVERYONE up here is shitting on Sanchez. You don’t here a whole lot of people saying he can get it done.
Did they show that Dr. Pepper commercial up there? Never thought I’d live to see “I’m a Cougar” T shirt on commercial TV.
OH, I so know that Peyton > Favre. Only point was, why get a QB who at MOST has 3 years left, and who may not even have 3 games left? Sanchez can get the job done.
I still have no idea why the plan in Indy isn’t to get Luck, have Manning tutor him for as long as Manning can still play/start, then put the kid in when he’s ready. This modern “throw their expensive asses to the wolves” mentality is nuts. You just create gun-shy QBs, like Houston did with Carr.
Exactly! Who better to learn from?
Tracy, it is pretty disgusting. My problem is, I keep telling myself I’m going to cut back booze intake to get off that 30 I put on since Halloween. Then, I get thirsty. Sigh. And no liquor sales in MS on the Lord’s Day. Hypocrites.
Well, yeah, but Peyton Manning is not Brett Favre.
Best case scenario? Indy does the right thing and leaves it to him whether to play or retire, Luck or no Luck. Jets give Sanchez another year with a revamped playbook and see if he improves.
Hmm. Not throwing stones for that FG. They needed points, needed to tie it up, and pinning Brady & Co. deep means absolutely NOTHING.
“Having trouble with those last four words.”
Ya bastid, I nearly spewed the little booze I have! I shoulda knowed better…
See, I think Peyton is INSANE to even consider returning to the field. DUDE, you’re rich, you’re HOF first ballot, you have a ring. It is NOT worth the risk, in my mind. However, if he really IS completely, 100% healed (from a neck injury requiring 3 surgeries???), he should stay with the team he knows. As for NYJ, didn’t they have a REAL bad experience recently with an old QB? I think Sanchez is your QB of the future, and the kid is pretty damned good, but the question of that Big Apple pressure cooker is key. I think Sanchez has what it takes, but needs a little more talent. One more WR and an improved O-line.
Gutless motherfuckers.
“You ever have to get creative when the liquor cabinet gets low?”
Having trouble with those last four words.
Wasn’t it last year the Ravens went to Foxboro and kicked ass in the playoffs, or was that the year before?
Last year the Jets knocked them out in Foxboro.
And it was absolutely wonderful. We were in Mass and there were a lot of sad Pats fans. Hahahaha. Some bar had a sign outside about coming in to watch the Pats kick the Jets’ asses. I wanted Joe to pee on that sign after the game, but he didn’t want to go to jail.
Yeah, I’ve heard the Manning-to-the-Jets rumors too. I don’t know what to think. I still want to see what Sanchez can do under an OC who doesn’t have his head up his ass. On the other hand, if Manning’s injury is less severe than advertised – if, say, he had 3 or 4 years left, well… He is one of my all-time favorite football players. And, Jesus, Tracy would be out of her mind.
Seriously: I just mentioned this possibility to her and she started fanning herself.
You ever have to get creative when the liquor cabinet gets low? I mixed mango juice and long island iced tea liquor mix. It’s too damned sweet. OTOH, it is booze.
That sounds nasty. A lacking in the liquor cabinet is never a problem in our house.
They’re listening to you, ‘Shift.
LOL. I’m not unhappy with my team, of course. Hell, last 3 years they won 13, 11, and 13, 3 straight playoffs, and a SUPER BOWL. I just don’t get them. How can they go ‘pumpkin’ so hard on the road??? Maybe a little more D will get us back to the big game before Drew hangs up his cleats. I’m hearing a LOT of talk around here about PEYTON MANNING to the J E T S. Me, I think that’s crazy for everyone involved.
HEY, didn’t I say throw on first down????
THERE we go! No flag on that one.
Oh, and on the subject of the game, when the fuck did the Patriots get a pass rush?
No, it is NOT a rough start for the Raven O. It’s them not having the balls to call even ONE pass on first down. Pats know Baltimore would run every play if they could, so Ravens will have to open it up to get Pats to back off.
I feel your pain, man. At least your guys made it to the dance. Fucking Jets, I don’t even want to read about their shit right now. Go away, get it fixed, see ya next year.
Huh. I guess ‘illegal contact’ doesn’t apply to Pats D today. That was as much contact on the deep route as they called on the Ravens.
Ravens D held them to 3 even with the mulligan, so that’s a hopeful sign. I’d feel bad for Tori’s nerves right now, but you and I both wish we were having that problem right now. I’m still shaking my head over that Saints’ game. 5 turnovers and still had the lead with 1:32 left. Guess we just HAVE to get the #1 seed.
Right? That was quite the mulligan they gave T-Brad.
Yeah, well, you went 4 for 4 last week, right? So I’d put more money on your picks than mine right now.
Well, I didn’t count on the refs getting involved, which was stupid of me.
So, basically, you’re feeling exactly the opposite of how I’m feeling about these two games. Go figure.
Funny thing is, at the start of the playoffs, I said that under the old rules I would go with the best defenses that made the playoffs. That would’ve led me to Ravens-Niners Super Bowl prediction. However, I thought that the new ‘offensive’ NFL would lead to the highest-scoring teams making it, Packers-Pats. Shrug. Anyway, I am predicting and pulling for a Pats loss today. I think their lack of defense finally bites them in the butt, and Flacco & Co. are very underrated. 27-21 Ravens.
On the other side, I’m pulling for Eli & Co, but the Niners have made a believer out of me. Besides, my Saints flipped a losing record into 13-3 and a Super Bowl ring, so it can be done. 28-24 Niners.
Holy fucking crap. That might be the worst Star Spangled Banner rendition ever. I’m surprised the Ravens are writhing on the ground in agony.
I can wait. I am only 2 ahead in the pick-ems league and there are three games left. My dominating lead is all but gone. Painful.