I hate the Jets more than ever...

Finn,

You don't really understand the concept of sports, do you.

Im still tryin to figure out how the damned Eagles got into the playoffs. I was all set to begin ice fishing season and now I gotta hang on till the Birds get eliminated .

Those against cruelty to fish will be pleased about that.

It appears that Mangini gets his sorry butt kicked out of the Jet's organization.

At least someone is paying for this travesty.

Ice-fishing is largely a matter of sitting in hut around a hole in the ice and
imbibing the anti-freeze of one's choice. Fish are seldom harmed.

So long, it's been good to know ya...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/sports/football/30jets.html

At least they are better than Dallas, who was given every opportunity to make the playoffs, and couldn't get it done.

Cycloptichorn

i think his un-doing was yesterday, after the game, when he said he couldn't point to one specific thing that was wrong with the team.

hello!!
isn't that the main function of a head coach?

Thank you kicky.

Now let's consider the chances of the AFC:

After I made my prediction Big Ben was carried off on a stretcher so the Steelers chances have dropped.

This is not to say he's been the heart of the team this year, but he's at least one lung.

The Titans may be able to ride a "No respect!" wave to the Super Bowl, but Indy is the class of the conference.

The Giants and Panthers, however, are the class of the league.

The Panthers, despite their loss to the Gints are on a real roll and can get it done on both sides of the ball.

Their running backs are amazing and Steve Smith is the best big play reciever in the NFL.

Bradshaw and Ward for the Giants cannot be relied upon and Jacobs is still less than 100 percent.

Neither Hixon nor Smith (of the Gints) are Plexico.

My new prediction (simply a refinement) is Carolina v Indy wih the Panthers winning it all.

No I guess not but at least I knew Miami would beat the Jets.

Should be that whiny bitch Favre

But what do I know?

Who is better than Dallas?

Patriots who didn't get in, or the Jets who didn't get in ?

Dallas was a disaster this year (which makes me very happy) but its tough to make a serious case that NE or NY were more successful.

I think I agree with Finn on this, with a slight pause re NE.

Always agree with Finn, and you will be righteously correct far more often than you are wrong.

Hey ebrown, sports expert, who do you think will win the Superbowl, now that you can't reflexively utter "PATRIOTS!"

Funny how the fans of a dominant team assume they know sports by spewing nonsense associated with their team.

You must know SPORTS since you are able to recognize my ignorance. So lets hear your expert prediction.

ebrown: "I hate violence, but I love the Offensive Line of the Patriots!"

First of all, Big Ben is going to play. Second, their backup QB is no slouch, and I would give them just as good a chance with Leftwich in the line-up.

The strongest three defenses in the league are in the AFC (Titans, Steelers, and Ravens), as are the Colts, the hottest team in the league. They also happen to have the best player in the league right now, Peyton Manning. Steve Smith would be easily negated by any of the three defenses of the Titans, Steelers, or Baltimore, and against the Colts, he won't matter.

The AFC is a stronger conference in general, and you will find that out on February 1st. I think the Panthers could possibly win it, but the Giants are overrated and will no doubt get clobbered by any of the AFC teams I mentioned should they happen to make it to the SB.

So basically Carolina is your one hope, and they aren't that good. The Panthers and Giants just look good because they've been playing mostly NFC teams all year. The weaker conference, that is.

So I predict it will be the Panthers losing to one of the following four AFC teams: Pittsburgh, Indy, Tennessee, or Baltimore.

I sweart to God the next person that talks **** about Favre gets shanked with this broken Yoo-Hoo bottle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xn0CVRSOYw

Looks like Big Ben will be playing, but playing with post-concussion syndrome is no where near 100%. I like Ben and there's no doubt the Pirates have an excellent defense, but the O-Line has been shaky, the running game sub-par, and the receivers didn't burn up the league.

Actually the Titans don't come into the top defenses in the league until the #7 spot.

I like to look at team's starpower (probably because it favors the Panthers), but Carolina is good enough to make it to the Super Bowl and when there, if they are clicking they will beat any other team team that's clicking as well.

Rushing:

Williams is #3 in overall yards but he is tied for #1 in 100 yard games, and he averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Compare that to:

Willie parker: 3.8
Mewelde Moore: 4.2
Chris Johnson: 4.5
Joseph Adai: 3.5
Dominic Rhodes: 3.5
Le'Ron McLain: 3.9

Now add Jonathen Stewart to the mix who had over 800 yards rushing for an average of 4.5 per carry.

The only team that can match up is the Giants with two RBs that each gained over 1,000 yards this season.

Brandon Jacobs: 5.0
Derrick Ward: 5.6

If Jacobs is healthy, the Giants are going to be a lot tougher than you think. The beat Pittsburgh in the regular season, as I'm sure you will recall

Oh, and Williams had ZERO fumbles.

Receiving:

Steve Smith was #3 in total yards (despite missing two games), averaging over 100 yards per game with an average of 18.2 per reception which was second in receivers with 1000 + yards.

Compare to:

Reggie Wayne: 1,145 yards (#10) and 14.0 per reception
Hines Ward: 1,043 yards (#15) and 12.9
Derrick Mason: 1,037 (#17) and 13.0
Mark Clayton: 695 (#47) and 17.0

Now factor in Mushin Muhammed with 923 (#27) and 14.2

Dallas Clark doesn't come in until #36 and Santonio Holmes until #38

Passing

Clearly Peyton Manning is the best of the four but Delhomme is no slouch compared to Big Ben and Flaco

Jake: QB rating 84.7
Ben: 80.1
Flaco: 80.3

Tackles

Same trend with Beason and Davis

Sacks

Carolina has Julius Peppers at #5 with 14.5 but Pittsburgh has Harrison with 16.0 and Woodely with 11.5

One area the Panthers do not have the one two punch edge.

Interceptions

Admittedly, Carolina falls well short in this area, and Baltimore and Pittsburgh are tough. Delhomme can be prone to turnovers. This is an areas that scares me.

All in all I like, very much, Carolina's chances.

In fact, I'm more afraid of the Giants than any AFC team.

We'll see, of course.

That's all very impressive, Finn. If games were played on paper, all those stats and analyses might actually be worth a damn.

AFC will take it. You'll see.