NFL playoff thread

Kaepernick ran for 21 yards yesterday, Flacco 12.

If you find a QB that can occasionally light it up with some runs, that's great. But it's by no means essential. I've been hearing about "the new breed of QB" since Randall Cunningham came into the league. Whatever.

 

I thought Peyton Manning was the guy who put up the big numbers but didn't come through when it mattered in the postseason and that titles are the only things that matter because winners win!

/every pro-Pats argument from 2001-2005

 

Did you see how fast Nantz disregarded Flacco after his 1 question?

And I really want that long winter coat Bisciotti was wearing. That one had to cost a few pennies.

 

If you see replays of the Niners touchdown runs, you can see the DE keying on the qb and letting the RB go by for someone else to worry about. It absolutely has an impact, particularly when a team has designed qb running plays.

 

Unrelated to football but WTF?






Did Phelps have a bum fight set up after the game?

 

I know Brady is 35. I picked an arbitrary number, like 32, because I think the NFL QB position requires more mobility than ever. The Marino/Peyton model of firing darts works against teams with no pass rush. Trouble is, in the playoffs, everybody has pass rush.

I think this is a very different era than Cunningham or even Vick. Instead of the PA pass, now defenders have to show their hand first on the run option. This is a monumental shift in NFL and planning. Far more lasting than recent gimmicks like the Wildcat.

For this, you need a QB who ran it in college and has put in thousands of hours of study and practice.

An accurate thrower still has value but the ability to scramble, extend the play and find the open receiver (or run for 10 yards) is a major component for 49ers and Ravens.

 

Oh man. I thought, as long as I didn't walk into a Subway, I would never have to look at those teeth again.

 

This reads like you haven't actually watched Flacco play. I think the only reason he gets the rare good run is that teams count on him being so slow. Of the two, Brady is better at avoiding the pass rush, though he does it mostly by moving within or near the pocket to buy time.

The theory that guys like Kaepernick, Griffin and Wilson are going to take over the NFL is nice except for the fact that those guys aren't easy to find. Sure, it's better if the quarterback can scramble and make plays with his legs as well as his arm. Teams have been looking for those guys for decades. The ones that can do that and be quality passers are just too rare.

Just remember, three of the four teams in the conference championship games had pocket passers at quarterback.

 

In each of their three playoff games, the Ravens' defense has gotten stronger as the game has gone on. That's of enormous value.

 

One of the reasons why the Niners ran the ball effectively yesterday is because they were keying so much on Kaepernick that iot opened things up for Gore and James. Teams aren't going to key on a QB like Brady or Flacco or Manning because they know they don't have that kind of speed.

It's true even with a guy like Aaron Rodgers, who has the speed and can run, but, thanks to a couple concussions, doesn't run the way he used to (which is smart).

Cunningham was a rarity 20+ years ago because he could run and throw. Same thing with Steve Young...

That's what is going to be interesting with guys like Wilson, Kaepernick and RG3, will their teams just run them until they get injured, or will they have to adjust their games and run the ball less?

It certainly helps Kaepernick to have the offensive line that he has, because he hasn't (at least so far) had the crap knocked out of him the way RG3 has...

 

As the Niners proved yesterday, the quarterback doesn't have to run. The defense just needs to know he can. That legitimate threat is what makes the offense work.

 

True. If 1-2 players have to focus on making sure Kaepernick doesn't run, it's 1-2 fewer players to stop anyone else who does...