<p>Both playoff games today sure did not disappoint unless, of course, you are from Colorado or Wisconsin. Being from the S.F. Bay Area, it would sure be nice to have World Series AND Super Bowl champs at the same time.</p>
<p>Maybe. San Francisco has a tougher path to the Super Bowl though, against either Atlanta or Seattle. At least if they play Seattle they would play at Candlestick Park.</p>
<p>Not a chance.</p>
<p>Possible but I think the younger one will win.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p>I think the Ravens season will end in Foxborough. And being a Vikes fan, and by watching the Vikes beat the Niners and lose to the Hawks? I don’t see Jim (the 49’ers) getting past either Seattle or the Falcon’s.</p>
<p>Fun watching the Pack take a thumping though :D</p>
<p>One of my interests in football is the way pundits, including former players, get it so wrong. </p>
<p>I don’t pick winners because I don’t bet. I just analyze. Before the games, I saw a lousy Green Bay defense with not much of a running game on offense - 20th out of 32. But Aaron Rodgers is terrific and for reasons I can’t comprehend people think this year might be like a few years back. Is that hope? Infatuation with Rodgers? I think some of it is infatuation with Green Bay’s stars. Matthews is a fine player but if pass rushing defensive ends were all you needed, Indy with Freeney and Mathis would have won more than once.</p>
<p>I continue to be surprised by how SF’s defense has deteriorated in the last month. They were dominant early and now they have sieve-like characteristics. Remember last year? The playoff games were defensive struggles. But when Green Bay can’t make more than a token effort to contain a running QB … that was embarrassing. </p>
<p>As for Denver, they beat 2 teams all season that finished with winning records and were 2-3 against playoff teams. They looked lousy. Part I think is simply that it’s tough to beat a team twice; one of those 2 wins was against the Ravens. You have your way of playing. If the first game loser has enough talent to compete with you, they should learn from the loss. And the Ravens are healthier now. Still, it was odd watching Peyton choke again in a playoff game. That interception was a bad decision at the worst possible time. </p>
<p>Watching Flacco, I was amazed at the poor Denver coverage. And not just on the insanely bad play that tied the game at the end of regulation. Flacco’s strength as a QB is sideline deep throws. He’s particularly good at lofting the ball and the Ravens run a number of routes designed to delay the safety so he can’t get to the sideline. It looked to me like Baltimore saw on film that Denver’s deep zone coverage was lousy. On some of the passes, particularly the tying throw, it looked like there was no communication between corner and safety. On the tying throw, the safety froze until the other receiver broke off his route but the corner let the outside receiver run past and acted like his job was to watch for the route being broken off to the sideline. That kind of mistake is obvious on film. It sort of looked like the safety was worried 2 receivers would be released into his zone. That means at least one guy didn’t understand the coverage options.</p>
<p>I’ve been annoyed at the pre-game proclamations of victory by NE fans. (I’m an NE fan but I’m a realist.) Yes Houston has been playing poorly for a month, but games turn on a few plays and those can always break the other way.</p>
<p>Iron Maiden, Is there a “chance” now that the Harbaugh brothers play against each other in the Super Bowl this year?</p>
<p>I think there’s a very good chance :D</p>
<p>It’s the NFL’s dream marketing. </p>
<p>The good news for me as a Patriots fan is I don’t have to listen to the 2 weeks of utter blather. </p>
<p>I gave up putting a lot of personal stake in the outcome of sports a long time ago. Tom Brady is not a relative. He doesn’t pay me. He doesn’t introduce me to his wife’s model girlfriends (and my wife would be upset at that). Having the Patriots go to or win the Super Bowl doesn’t make me a better person as their fan. It doesn’t mean my city is better or worse. It can be exciting and you can buy the t-shirt and cap but it isn’t my accomplishment.</p>
<p>We’re never going to hear the end of this. I can already see tomorrow’s headlines and picture.</p>
<p>Get ready for a Cain and Abel narrative for the next 14 days! I need to thank my two sons for not pursuing the same career in a highly competitive, highly public venue!!</p>
<p>Trending: Harbowl 2013</p>
<p>^^ lol.</p>
<p>Go Niners. I don’t care who your coach is. :)</p>
<p>The only thing that will make this a better story is if somebody discovers the Harbaugh brothers have a non-existent sister.</p>
<p>^Sometimes the things that come out of brother Jim’s mouth makes me wonder if he has a non-existent mother!</p>
<p>^^I just learned from another thread that the Harbaughs’ brother-in-law is the basketball coach at Indiana. Fun family!</p>
<p>That is true. In a matter of a few years he practically started from scratch to rebuild Indiana basketball. He had been coaching at Marquette before that.</p>
<p>Can’t wait for the SNL skits on this one. “Mom always liked you better!” Or “Mom, Johnny took my varsity sweater!” “No I didn’t. YES YOU DID!!! DAAAAD, mom won’t make Johnny give back my sweater!”</p>
<p>A camel that apparently corrected 6 out of the last 7 super bowls predicted Baltimore to win. I hope so; I think Baltimore will win IMO. I don’t think San Francisco has faced a defense quite like Baltimore’s yet, but both offenses are hot, so we’ll see.</p>
<p>But it’s Jim’s turn to win, John won the last time…I’m telling Mom!!! ;)</p>