American Sports Thread

tyroneman · February 03, 2014, 02:34:05 AM

Gotta feel for Welker too...... 3 and 0

cadhlancian · February 03, 2014, 02:53:34 AM

Syferus , hardly an abject performance. He had no protection all night long. Not his best, but far from abject...

Syferus · February 03, 2014, 03:02:25 AM

Quote from: cadhlancian on February 03, 2014, 02:53:34 AM
Syferus , hardly an abject performance. He had no protection all night long. Not his best, but far from abject...

Fumbles, terrible interceptions that missed their marks by miles, the first snap alone was incredibly poor from any QB, let alone from a HOFer in the first play of the Super Bowl. The line wasn't great but my God if Manning didn't look small tonight. He wasn't even a shadow of the player he had been all year.

cadhlancian · February 03, 2014, 03:19:09 AM

The first snap? Are you serious? The center CLEARLY snapped the ball early, whilst Manning was still barking out coverages. Interceptions that missed by miles? Lol. Ever hear of getting your arm hit whilst throwing?? Ball probably won't go were it was intended....

Syferus · February 03, 2014, 03:35:26 AM

Quote from: cadhlancian on February 03, 2014, 03:19:09 AM
The first snap? Are you serious? The center CLEARLY snapped the ball early, whilst Manning was still barking out coverages. Interceptions that missed by miles? Lol. Ever hear of getting your arm hit whilst throwing?? Ball probably won't go were it was intended....

So you're saying the center would have snapped the ball if he knew Manning was going to the line to bark out more US state names? Manning tried to alter the play far too late in the pre-snap progression. Mis-communication is mis-communication and you can't just blanket all the blame on the center. Manning had a very poor day and was bullied mentally by the Seahawks, something he usually does to defenses. Never settled and the final proof is the score-line - 42-8.

The questions about Manning on the big stage remain.

heganboy · February 03, 2014, 03:50:17 AM

Syferus- yer heads a marley

heganboy · February 03, 2014, 04:00:32 AM

That was without doubt the oddest strangest weirdest game I have ever seen at pro level.

Denver could get nothing right, yet Manning ends up with the most completions of any QB in a Super Bowl, the Nose Tackle was fantastic, Welker most catches in a SB. Demaryius Thomas went missing, along with the Offensive Line and the TEs. Penalties, dropped passes, special team mishaps, a safety on the first play, it was like the entire denver playing and coaching staff bet on seahawks by 20, but figured there were 3 guys not to tell...

Seattle's Offense did next to nothing but it was enough. The Seattle D was absolutely astonishing, every single tackle, every single block, every rush, first class, I have never seen anything like the execution by any D before. fantastic. Drive determination and just would not quit, even when the game was long out of Denver's reach the still went 100% on everything. Exceptional

AZOffaly · February 03, 2014, 09:56:47 AM

Was a strange game, but I wasn't surprised when Mannings first interception was an overthrow to a deep lying safety. He has done that a few times in the post season. It's a pity, I like him and I love his attitude, but he certainly gets rattled when the intensity picks up against a good defence, which is what you tend to meet every so often in the playoffs. Having said that, I think slating Manning really takes away from the Seahawks defence. They were brilliant. The pass rush pressured him and the Seahawks have a great advantage over most secondaries in that they probably prefer going man coverage. Their DBs just seem to love the physical contest and battling for the ball. Every yard gained, especially when the game was in question, was really hard gained. Most defenses don't like to expose their DBs in 1v1 matchups. They try and play zone coverage, tampa 2 or 3 deep or whatever, and Manning (and other good QBs) are great at exploiting holes in zones, especially if you have receivers like Welker and Decker that like to find the soft spots. but Man v Man is a different story. You have to win your battles there, and while the odds favour the QB and WR in that contest because they know the play and the route, Seattles D just love that challenge and dominated when it mattered.

tyroneman · February 03, 2014, 09:59:42 AM

Quote. Seattle's Offense did next to nothing but it was enough.

Bit harsh...

gallsman · February 03, 2014, 10:10:04 AM

Quote from: heganboy on February 03, 2014, 04:00:32 AM
That was without doubt the oddest strangest weirdest game I have ever seen at pro level.

Denver could get nothing right, yet Manning ends up with the most completions of any QB in a Super Bowl, the Nose Tackle was fantastic, Welker most catches in a SB. Demaryius Thomas went missing, along with the Offensive Line and the TEs. Penalties, dropped passes, special team mishaps, a safety on the first play, it was like the entire denver playing and coaching staff bet on seahawks by 20, but figured there were 3 guys not to tell...

Seattle's Offense did next to nothing but it was enough. The Seattle D was absolutely astonishing, every single tackle, every single block, every rush, first class, I have never seen anything like the execution by any D before. fantastic. Drive determination and just would not quit, even when the game was long out of Denver's reach the still went 100% on everything. Exceptional

Do you have that the wrong way round? Thomas put up most catches for 118 and a TD?

Wilson massively overthrew a dump to, well, Wilson very early on and I thought he was struck with nerves. Practically flawless beyond that. Serious balls for a second year.

Wildweasel74 · February 03, 2014, 01:34:47 PM

been spolit with Good superbowls, this one was terrible from the word go, maybe the wost sicne the Bills took a tanking many years ago. Manning was poor compared to his high standards but that offensive line was shocking last nite, they have the best receivers in the championship but they all went missing i didnt see decker free at all in the 1st half, Special teams brutal, in all a nite to forget especially for a great player like Bailey who now retires with no superbowl ring. This Seattle defence is great, but as an overall team they havent got much on offense. Its nice to see them win asuperbowl but abit like the ravens they not be back next year. broncos may be again but they are starting to look like the old buffalo bills team. Feel sorry for Manning as i rate high so highly but in general the team inploded last nite.

AZOffaly · February 03, 2014, 01:41:05 PM

That's a big call on the Seahawks. The Ravens defense was old, and they lost players through FA and retirements. Anquin Boldin leaving, and Denis Pitta getting injured screwed their passing game, and Joe Flacco isn't as much a play maker as Wilson.

this Seahawks team has an average age of about 26 I think. I'm not sure of their cap situation and FA, but I doubt they are as bad a situation as the Ravens were, and Wilson is younger and better than Flacco.

The NFC West is a tough division, and I hope you are right, but I don't think the Seahawks are going anywhere. I certainly expect them to remain very hard to beat in Seattle for a while anyway.

gallsman · February 03, 2014, 01:47:58 PM

Sidney Rice to come back next year too? Their offense isn't half as poor as people make out.

Wildweasel74 · February 03, 2014, 02:09:49 PM

I expect the 49ers to come out next year, they didnt show the form of last year but they are the team with the most potency to trun over seattle but they gotta win 1st seed as travelling to seattle a tough ask. I expect the colts and maybe detroit lions to make some noise next year. American football funny in that team change from year to year, i only rememebr the 49ers, Buffalo bills and the cowboys in the lates 80`s early 90`s making it to regular supebowls. and in the oo`s the patriots and to an extend the Steelers making it to superbowls. the lifespan of a very good team is about 4/5yrs due to salary caps more than anything else.

AZOffaly · February 03, 2014, 02:17:53 PM

Free agency and the salary cap changes have made it hard for teams to stay together for years the way those great teams of the 70s, 80s and 90s have done. It's what makes the Patriots a fantastic model as they are always competitive. 'Last to First' stories are not that unusual in the NFL, and if you look at the Atlanta Falcons or Houston Texans next year, they'll be a lot better than they were in 2013.

The list of Free Agents for 2014 is ...

http://nfltraderumors.co/2014-nfl-free-agents/