Sion

place your vote for the SB winner

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present_future

I just can't go against the Patriots. The defending champs always seem to find a way to win.

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munchen

After what they did to the colts I can't imagine anybody beating the pats

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djtestudo

If the Falcons make it I'll be rooting for them, but I do think the Patriots won it last week.

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FlatLand Flyer

I want to see the Steelers to it, but my brain keeps telling me that Pats will win it all.

crewsor

I think the Steelers and the Eagles are done this week, and the Pats will win the big one again.

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Devoid

The Falcons are my favorite team that's left, but I just know that the Pats can destroy the other three teams. So I voted Pats.

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MikeyChalupa

Same here, Devoid. I'd love to see Vick win one, and he will by the time he's done. This year though the Pats are just too strong. Philly and Pittsburgh will choke in the title games, and barring major injury, the Pats will steamroll the Falcons.

-Mikey

Redlemon

I'm voting for my Patriots, but I'd enjoy watching Pittsburgh win as well. Whoever wins that game takes the Superbowl.

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vox_rox

Well, last week I would have said the Steelers, but I think the Pats have it way more together, they are looking pretty good.

Of course, Atlanta is my team, and I always hope that they'll do well, which they have - way above my expectations. Will they win the SB? Not likely. Do I WANT them to win the SB? Oh Yeah!

Patriots will win - Go FALCONS!

Peace,

Pierre

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Fantasma

Patriots all the way!!

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Siempre es Hoy

Sion

I guess none of you people saw the way the Steelers MAULED the Patriots on Halloween (34-20).

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He's the best, of course, of all the worst.
Some wrong been done, he done it first. -fz

I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...

Redlemon

1. Cory was injured just before the game, and he's hugely important to the Pats' offense.
2. Ty Law was injured early in the game, and it was too late to plan around that hole in the defense.
3. Miami (!) also mauled the Patriots. Weird shit happens, "that's why they play the game". If the Patriots played Miami tomorrow, I don't think that would happen again.

I'm expecting a close game.

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Ace_O_Spades

I voted pats... simply because they are playing playoff quality football right now... They methodically dismantled the colts offense... it was quite impressive

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Feh.

Sion

1. Dillon will be a non-factor in this game. The Steelers have been playing against him for years and know how to contain him.

2. I'll give you that. However, in the intervening period, they lost another CB and now will have Gay, Poteat and Troy Brown matching up against Ward, Burress and Randle El. Despite what they did to the Colts, that matchup favors the Steelers. OUR receivers are a LOT more physical than the Colts'.

3. True dat. I'm not predicting another blowout. However, the Steelers can and will beat them again.


oh, and I agree that whichever team wins the AFCC will win the SB. Neither Philly nor Atlanta can matchup with the Steelers or Patriots.

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He's the best, of course, of all the worst.
Some wrong been done, he done it first. -fz

I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...

Redlemon

And, to reply:

1. The Steelers knew how to stop him as a Bengal, because there was no other offense to distract them from stopping Dillon. The Patriots are much more balanced offensively.

May the best team win! I just wish it was the early game.

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heccubusiv

heart says steelers, but the Pats are amazing, the winner of the AFC will win it

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Fuck Ohio

dylanmarsh

I still maintain the Pats will win it all.

It's getting to the point, now, that some team out there is going to have to craft their roster and schemes just to get by New England; much the way the Red Sox were custom-built to defeat the Yankees in baseball. Until a team does that, I don't see the Patriots losing anytime soon. The Steelers-Pats game will be tight and it will probably come down to the kickers. If that ends up being the case, I'll take Vinatieri over Reed, any day.

BTW, why do people keep harping on regular season match-ups? This is the playoffs, people. A game in October has no bearing on Sunday's game -- talk to Peyton and Colts about the regular season games and stats.

ToiletDuck

Im gettin on the Falcons bandwagon for this one. Inside/Outside i belive they will take it all.

Redlemon

What about when the Pats lose their offensive and defensive coordinators? That is going to hurt.

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Ace_O_Spades

I was thinking the same thing... It's going to have a huge impact... But time will tell... they might pick up some talent, you can never tell with the NFL

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Feh.

Spartak

Boring boring Patriots.

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maximusveritas

I think Philly will pull off the upset over whoever makes it out of Pittsburgh alive (probably the Patriots). I think the Eagles will continue to band together without TO and McNabb will lead the team to a close victory.

spectre

It's definitely going to be whoever wins the AFCC. I think Pittsburgh has edge in that one.

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archer2371

Pittsburgh, I think they've got a better running game and defense.

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drakers

Bradey has convinced me after the way his team played against the Colts, unless the Steelers can beat him they are going to win it all.

sgn43

as hard as it is picking against the Pats, I have to give the Steelers the nod. seems these guys are guided by fate and after the Jets game, it seems like they have divine intervention on their side, heh.


I'll definitely say that the AFC Champ is as good as the NFL Champ once they're crowned, and I think that Pittsburgh will take it.

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sixate

I hope the Steelers do, only because I like Big Ben.
Gonna be tough to be the Pats twice in one year, but I think they can do it. People seem to forget they have home field advantage.

Sion

I can only speak for myself, but I bring it up simply to point out that the Steelers were able to do it once (and in a VERY convincing fashion) which suggests that it can be done again.

here are the reasons why I expect the Steelers to win this game.

1. Home field advantage
2. Ben Roethlisberger (yeah, I know he stunk up the joint against the Jets. And thats EXACTLY why I expect him to play well against NE.)
3. Dick LeBeau: defensive coordinator extraordinaire.
4. The backup factor: the Steelers and the Pats have both had numerous injuries to key personnel throughout the season. and in each case, the backups have stepped up and played phenominally. but Pittsburgh's have been more impressive, IMHO.
5. Matchups: the on-field matchups favor the Steelers. To wit:

Pitt Oline vs NE front 7 - advantage Steelers
NE Oline vs Pitt front 7 - advantage Steelers (slight)
Pitt passing game vs NE secondary - advantage Steelers
NE passing game vs Pitt secondary - even or slight advantage NE

6. The coaching matchup favors NE. No one in his/her right mind disputes this. However, I think that, despite this, it is Cowher's time to shine. I've been all over his ass the past 5 years, but even I have to admit he's done a damned good job this year. I think he just might have learned enough to get over the hump. If events prove me wrong, then it will just further cement my opinion of Cowher as the perfect example of the Peter Principle.
7. The X factor: typically, a Cowher coached playoff team comes out and annihilates the first opponent it sees, then lays an egg the next game. Looks like a reverse situation this year. They sucked rocks vs the Jets and won anyway. NE "could" be in for a LONG afternoon.
8. The revenge/disrespect factor. Despite finishing the regular season with the BEST record in the entire NFL, despite having TROUNCED both the Pats and Eagles in back to back weekends earlier in the season, despite having home field advantage (where they are undefeated this season) and despite the fact that they have the BEST defense in the league, Pittsburgh is a 3 pint underdog to the Pats and 95% of all the media pundits are predicting a NE victory. Think that wouldnt put a burr under YOUR saddle? I know it would mine and I guarantee it has to the Steelers.
9. There are ways to beat the Patriots at their own game and Pittsburgh has assembled a team that can and has been doing it all season. Those ways are: run well, defend the run well, eat the clock, harass the QB.
10. Finally, and most importantly: because the football GODS owe me this one, DAMMIT!

__________________
He's the best, of course, of all the worst.
Some wrong been done, he done it first. -fz

I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...

djtestudo

For the record on the Steelers being able to contain Corey Dillion, he's averaged just about 4.2 YPC against them since 1999 (since that's the earliest NFL.com has gamle logs for).

Also, I'm suprised no one has mentioned this stat since it's been all over ESPN this week: Bill Belichek is 13-0 against quarterbacks the second time he faces them.

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Rdr4evr

Honestly, I hate every team left except Philly, if Philly is not in, forget it, I don't want to even watch (even though I still probably will). I just HOPE that the fucking Patsies get killed this weekend, who the hell wants to see their lame ass in the SB again? Not me, that's for damn sure, I despise them. I also hate Atlanta, so basically this is how it sums up for me: if it's NE VS Atl, I will root for Atl, if it's Pit VS Atl, I will root for Pitt, if it's NE VS Philly, I will root for Philly, if it's Pit VS Philly, I will root for Philly. Either way, I think the AFC will kill the NFC no matter who plays who. So to answer your question, I'm still going to say Pittsburgh, although my gut tells me otherwise.

sgn43

If we're gonna go with statistics...then, Big Ben has ZERO losses as a starter It's your classic match up of the unstoppable force and the immovable object coming together. I think the fact that Dillon is playing in this game will make a difference, but I have a gut feeling the Steelers are going all the way. As I mentioned earlier, it's almost like these guys have fate on their side. By all accounts, they should be sitting at home watching this game on TV, but for some reasoan the football gods decided the Jets kicks to win the game would not connect.

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Spartak

The unstopabble force always wins.. according to Madden

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Redlemon

Best. Reason. Ever.

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crewsor

Before last weeks games, I would have given the Steelers a slight edge against the Pats. But after seeing how the Steelers struggled to eke out a win over the Jets, and watching New England destroy the Colts, I can't imagine Pittsburgh defeating New England this week. Even with home field advantage. It would seem Big Ben peaked a little early, and is looking more like a rookie Q.B. come playoff time.

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Daoust

I think it's easy to forget that Big Ben is a rookie, specifically because he's not playing like one. But the Big Show is generally (though not always) won by the veterans, who in this case will be the Patsies. I really like Pburgh, and I think Cowther deserves a win, but it rarely happens that the team I like wins.

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Bill O'Rights

The Pats are good. Damn good. But, I'm a diehard Steeler fan. I'm sticking by them.

We're from the town with that great football team,
We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chuck Noll and all his friends are all on the field.
Go out and get them Steelers.

Bradshaw, and Rocky, and Franco and Lynn,
We love you Pittsburgh Steelers.
It's been many years in coming,
just keep that Steelers machinery humming

Defense, Defense, make them scramble, intercept that ball.
Defense, Defense, keeps the Steelers always best of all!
Mean Joe, Mean Joe, do your thing against the other team,
You start from year to year, we're so glad you play here,
Now join with me, and sing the Steelers cheer-er-ER!

We're from the town with that great football team,
We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Winning's a habit, not only a dream,
Go out and get them Steelers!

Gerela's Gorrilas are here for the show,
and so is Franco's Army,
It's been many years in coming,
just keep that Steelers machinery humming.

Offense, Offense, take that football whole way up the field!
Offense, Offense, let's score and score and never ever yield!
Franco, Franco, can you believe we have a running game?

The Steelers are so great, and so hard to overrate,
Good things, will come, to those who work and wait.

Yeah...the song's a little dated, but I'll still be waving one of theses:


Wishing that I could get some of this:


[img] http://www.robrogers.com/gallery/mis...le%20Towel.jpg [/img]

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The_wall

I'll be cheering the pats on again. Steelers should be a tough team to beat though, but then again the colts were supposed to be tough to beat so who knows. I just want a patriots dynasty =P

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sgn43

haha. and which team would represent the unstoppable force according to Madden?


but really, forget the super bowl, let's talk more about the girl in the avatar. is that trish whatever-her-last-name-is?



I think you can consider the Pats a dynasty already. in today's pro sports, two championships is worth about 5 in the old days, before free agency and all the other money-driven insanity in the game destroyed teams playing JUST to win and played for themselves AND their teammates. now, there's no telling who will be around for the next go around, and everyone is worried just about themself and if they get their paycheck. if the Pats do beat the Steelers, I'd definitely root for them to keep this going for a while. it'd be interesting to see how far they can take this.


but backtracking just a bit, I just saw on an ESPN piece that Keith Brooking of the Atlanta Falcons is one of only TWO players left over from the Falcon team that reached the Super Bowl in 1999. it's just crazy to me that in a mere 5-6 seasons, almost the entire team is gone.

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absorbentishe

I have trouble picking against the Steelers. At home, good ground game, best D in the NFL. Yes, Ben had a rough game last week, he'll bounce back. He is only needed to throw 20 times a game, and if he can complete 16 or 17 of those, then it's a no brainer. If the Pats can take the running game out of it (will not do), then they'll win.