NFL Roundtable with The Sports Cartel – Part 1
The week, Sports Collisions is teaming up with TheSportsCartel.com for a roundtable discussion on current events in the world of sports. This weeks topic: NFL Playoff Divisional Round Matchups
What is the best/most intriguing matchup this weekend?
Caleb Eubanks, Sports Collision: Without question the most intriguing matchup of the weekend is the NY football Giants at Green Bay. Many people are making comparisons to the 2007 Giants team where they played (and lost) a close game against the then undefeated Patriots but returned the favor in the Superbowl. The Giant receivers have come on as of late and will give that terrible Green Bay defense fits. Offensively Green Bay has the superior talent, but the Giants have a fantastic front 4 and will even bring in 4 defensive ends to rush on passing downs.
Wes French, The Sports Cartel: Saints/49ers is the best for me. Two very different styles that got to 13 wins in very different ways. I still don’t trust the 49ers in a big spot with Alex Smith as their QB. That defense is just so good, though, and I envision a 24-19 type of game, with the Saints eeking out the victory.
Andy Barry, The Sports Cartel: I agree with Wes, Saints/49ers is the most most intriguing to me. As much as I hope the Packers lose, they are going to be healthy and rested. The close game earlier in the year was in New York, this is going to be in Green Bay and I think Aaron Rodgers steamrolls Eli and the G-men.
But, the game I am most interested in is Broncos/Patriots but this is only because I have an undying love for Timothy Richard Tebow and I despise the Pats. I know New England will win but I will be watching just to hope Timmy can walk on water once again and do the unthinkable.
Tony Bosma, The Sports Cartel: Even though the media has blown up the myth of Timothy Richard Tebow, the Pats/Broncos matchup is still the most intriguing. It won’t produce the best game more than likely, but just imagine if Tebow has the Broncos driving with the game on the line in the fourth quarter… Skip Bayless would explode with excitement and the Tebow haters will be ripping their hair out.
49ers/Saints seems like a deadlock for a great game, but I don’t trust Alex Smith to get the 9ers in the endzone and even though the SF defense is solid, it’s hard to believe they can slow down Drew Breesus enough to keep the game close. The best game will end up being BAL/HOU, even though Joe Flacco will be on the field. He’s no better than TJ Yates, so we’re looking at a defensive battle here.
CE: I’m actually going to disagree with Wes on this one and say that the Saints/49ers match-up is the most overrated. The 49ers rely on their defense to get the job done and if they have one weakness it’s pass defense. Currently they’re ranked middle of the road on pass defense at 16 and they haven’t faced a truly elite quarterback like Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers. Brees will march up and down on this defense and there is no way the 49er offense can keep up. The Saints didn’t punt one time last week against the Lions. This is a blowout by half time.
WF: I think the most overrated game will be Packers/Giants. Everyone is all over the NYG’s nuts right now, but people need to remember just how badass the Packers were all season. ESPN and a lot of other people will have the world thinking this is going to be on par with Giants/Patriots in 2008. I’m thinking it’ll be more like 45-21.
TB: I have to believe the Giants are going to be able to score on the Packers defense, even if Charles Woodson can shut down Victor Cruz. The Giants defense has a better chance of stopping the Packers offense once or twice than vice versa… so I think it’s legitimate for everyone to be all over the Giant(s) nuts.
CE: I completely agree. Giants/Packers will be a shootout just like it was in Week 13. Take the over and last team with the ball wins.
WF: Take the over because Matt Flynn will be chucking TDs with GB up 24 in the fourth quarter.
AB: I just don’t think Eli and company will have what it takes to keep up with Aaron Rodgers, I think we’ll be seeing a whole lot of “belts” on the field. The Packers defense is not great but they force turnovers at a very high rate so I think on the road in the cold of Green Bay, Eli will throw a pick or two which will be the difference in the game.
WF: I think that 3 of these 4 games could be laughers, and probably will be. Hou/Bal is the dark horse for upset of the week. No one really seems to think the 49ers can beat Breesus, the Giants are the popular pick and lets be honest, if Tebow beats the Evil Empire in NE will anyone really be shocked? Houston trots out a rookie 3rd stringer at QB and you can make the argument that you’d rather have him calling plays for your team this weekend than Joe Flacco.
The only constant for the 2011 Ravens is that anyone with a pulse doesn’t trust Flacco. Oh, and that reputation for having one of the NFL’s most feared defenses is more myth than legend right now.
CE: Plus one for seeing more “belts” on the field. Giants will be doing the Discount Double Check after every single meaningless play on defense.
“NEXT QUESTION,” said Drew Rosenhaus, as perspiration fell from the nose of Terrell Owens mid-crunch.
Pick one player from the NFC and AFC that you think will be the MVP of the weekend.
AB: Well, in my world I hope it will be Eli Manning and Tim Tebow because those would be ideal outcomes for myself to see the two teams I want most to not win the Super Bowl knocked out. Realistically, I am going to say the complete opposite of my ideals which would be Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. I just do not see either team losing and they will win because of the guys under center. I will be rooting very hard against both of these guys however.
WF: My AFC MVP is Arian Foster. If Houston is going to knock off Baltimore like I keep trying to convince everyone they will, Foster is going to have to be really good on Sunday. I think he will be great. In the NFC, I’m going with the GB defense. I think that they’re better than people give them credit for, and like Barry mentioned earlier, they’ll force some big turnovers. I like them for a defensive/special teams score.
CE: The power of the lord commands me, so I must go with “Bresus” and Tim Tebow. I’ve already explained why Drew Brees will be the MVP of the weekend for the NFC. Blowing out at top defense easily gives it to him. As I stated in my drunken prediction last week New England and Green Bay will BOTH lose this weekend. Unfortunately I was counting on the the Broncos to lose and someone else pick apart the New England defense. To be clear though, I’m not really giving the MVP to Tim Tebow. I just think that when the Broncos beat the Patriots the 24-news cycle will spin out of control with lust for the virgin. The real MVP should be the Broncos defense, the running game and John “Crazy as a” Fox for winning despite playing without a true quarterback. I do give Tebow some credit though. He is the best passing fullback in the game right now… and maybe ever.
AB: Dammit and your rules, the MVP is going to be QBs! Ok fine, Ray Rice will be the reason Baltimore takes out Wes’ lover TJ Yates. The Texans won’t be able to contain his big play ability both running and catching the ball. I’ll take Alton Smith in the NFC because if the 49ers win, it’ll be because of the pressure he is putting on Breesus. He may not get the numbers but it’ll be his drawing of double teams that opens up the 49ers defense to get to the QB.
CE: In the NFC, If I can’t pick a QB as my MVP then I’ll go with Hakeem Nicks for the Giants. I think he’ll have 8 receptsions for 185yds and 2TD against the Packers weak secondary. Woodson should match up with Victor Cruz and that’ll leave Nicks the room to run, showing why he’s still the Giants #1 receiver.
As for the AFC, If I’m picking Tim Tebow, that means the Denver defense, running game and coaching staff really stepped their game up against the unflappable Brady and Belichick. Look for Brady to go to get Gronk’d a lot, but in the end that defense can’t stop the magic dust that is Tim Tebow.
AB: Come on guys, one player. Can’t go with a whole defense!
CE: @Andy, You know as well as I do that the MVP will be a QB. So if we’re just making hypotheticals, why can’t I pick the entire team other than that QB?
TB: Jimmy Graham is the NFC MVP because he’s a freak of nature and he’s got some kind of telekinetic connection with Drew Brees this year. He can’t be stopped because he’s that rare combination of speed, strength, and height. If Jay Bilas were in this discussion he would gush about his wingspan as well.
Rob Gronkowski is the AFC MVP because he is equally unstoppable and bangs porn stars. That’s a deadly combination for a professional athlete. Unless some kind of uncontrollable itching caused by extracurricular activities slows him down, the Broncos defense is going to suffer the wrath of GRONK.
It’s the tight end revolution this weekend. Neither of them can hold the jock strap of SHOULD BE Hall of Famer, #84 Jay Novacek, though.
@Caleb – pick one player or I’m going to assign you Josh McDaniels… and you wouldn’t want that.
CE: Von Miller – Defensive Rookie of the Year and flat out stud. He’ll be closer to Brady than Giselle ever was…
[...] If you missed Part 1, click here. [...]
January 14th, 2012 at 3:44 pm[...] BTW, I know you liked my non-QB NFC MVP pick from last week. “Hakeem Nicks, 8 receptions for 185yds and 2TD” He finished just one 20yd reception away from those [...]
January 23rd, 2012 at 9:40 am