Playoffs

WhoDat · 12-12-2003, 07:23 PM

I don\'t know how we could possibly have a tie-breaker against Green Bay. Ooh, is it team with more black in their uniform goes?

jm · 12-13-2003, 04:54 PM

for the Saints to win a wild card:

Saints must win out

Green Bay must lose 2

Dallas must lose one of the next 2

Sf needs to lose 1

TB needs to lose 1

Currently the Saints are 9 seed in NFC

the 4th tie breaker is the killer , Strength of victory,

Saints are .346, Dal .433, SF .423, GB .462, TB .462 (data from NFL.com)

[Edited on 14/12/2003 by jm]

[Edited on 14/12/2003 by jm]

saintz08 · 12-13-2003, 05:46 PM

The coroner\'s report on Sunday night\'s New York Giants-New Orleans Saints matchup (ESPN, 8:30 ET): One team dead; the other, barely alive. The Giants playoff hopes may be squandered, but the Carolina Panthers\' overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, restored hope for the Saints. The final three weeks of the season will determine whether they\'ll be resuscitated or they\'ll flatline, and it starts Sunday night against a tough Big Blue defense.

New Orleans Saints
Over the last two seasons, the Saints have been December disappointments, finishing 0-3 last year and 0-4 in 2001. This year, they have the opportunity to not only make the playoffs, but to change the perception of their organization. Over the course of the season, the Saints have been rebuilt, restructured and plagued with injuries, yet they\'ve fought their way through and are hoping to finish strong.

Brooks

To meet that goal, the Saints can\'t beat themselves. Last Sunday, they out-played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yet they made just enough mistakes to lose 14-7. They lost three of four fumbles and allowed the Bucs to score two touchdowns in the final 1:25 before the half. Ultimately, two plays proved detrimental: Aaron Brooks\' dropped ball, which led to the Bucs\' first touchdown, and the blocked kick which followed shortly afterwards and put the Bucs up by seven.

During the final three weeks of the season, every game will be close. Every game will boil down to one, maybe two crucial plays. If the Saints hope to break their bad December pattern, they\'ve got to do a better job of protecting the football. If you can\'t protect the football, you can\'t win.

Much of the onus will fall on Brooks\' shoulders. Personally, I\'m a stickler who seeks perfection from the quarterback position. Brooks is the only guy on the field who\'s allowed to stop and give up without being hit -- running backs can\'t ask you not to hit them. So, the quarterback should be able to hold on to the ball.

Particularly in close games, quarterbacks can\'t afford to make mistakes. Missed handoffs, interceptions and fumbles are not only field-position changers, they\'re momentum killers and can psychologically affect the ball club. Against great defenses, field position becomes monumental.

Defensively, the Saints started the season with six new players. Defensive coordinator Rick Venturi told me that they would be a work in progress all year. Then, they were hit by the injury bug, and forced to rotate players, which made that \"work in progress\" become almost a work of impossibility. But they\'re a solid squad that should be able to disrupt the mistake-prone Giants offense.

For the Saints to make the playoffs, they must approach each of their final games against New York, Jacksonville and Dallas with vigor right out of the gate. They\'ve got to jump out early and not let up through four quarters.

The Jaguars\' 4-9 record doesn\'t reflect how well they\'ve been playing, and the Cowboys\' No. 1 defense can certainly cause the Saints some problems, but if the Saints can run the table, it will be a huge confidence builder to catapult them into the playoffs.

rich006 · 12-14-2003, 10:40 AM

But alas, winning out is about as likely as Brittany Spears ripping my clothes off.

But a more appealing prospect.. for the rest of us, anyway.

-RVD- · 12-14-2003, 10:46 PM

Whats the playoff picture now?

saint5221 · 12-15-2003, 07:22 AM

We won, but we didn\'t get a lot of help this week for our playoff hopes.

Dallas 9-5 has the same hopeless Giants next week, a win by the boys gives them 10 wins and almost definatly a playoff spot. Green Bay and Minnesota are both 8-6 and fighting for the division, one is in the other fights us, Seattle 8-6 and Tampa 7-7 for the last spot.

So if any two of the following happens we are out even if we win our last two:

1 Dallas beats the Giants
2 Seattle wins one of its final two against the Cardinals or @ Niners
3Green Bay (@raiders, Broncos) or Vikings(Chief, @ Cardinals) win both of there final games
4Green Bay wins @ raiders and Vikings beat Cardinals
5Tampa Bay wins it\'s final two(Falcons,@ Titans)

There it is, cheer accordingly but it is a long shot for sure.

[Edited on 12/15/2003 by saint5221]

WhoDat · 12-15-2003, 07:24 PM

Basically, Dallas has to tank, and either Minnesota and/or Seattle have to tank (and by tank I mean lose out), and we have to win out. Not likely.

Coulda... Woulda... Shoulda....

Just wait \'til next year!! LMAO.

rich006 · 12-15-2003, 09:23 PM

Minnesota and GB could both lose next week. GB plays at Oakland on Monday night. The Raiders played well last week and usually play tough on Monday night, especially at home (remember when they almost beat the Chiefs this year?). Minnesota will probably not beat the Chiefs who are playing for home-field advantage in the AFC. Seattle will no doubt beat Arizona in Seattle. Let\'s say both MIN and GB lose next week. Then we only need Dallas to lose to the Giants (playing for pride after last night\'s humiliation), and MIN to lose at Ariizona OR GB to lose again to Denver in week 17. It\'s possible...

However, I expect AB will have another shockingly poor performance next week, as he always does after a good game. We will lose to Jax and it will all be over but the shoutin\'. I hope I\'m wrong.

It was great to see the offense play so well last night, but show me something remotely close to that for a few weeks in a row and we\'d be on top of the division now instead of barely hanging on with all the chances of a whelk in a supernova. Two great games in a season don\'t cut it and never will. Hopefully San Diego was watching last night, eh 08?

[Edited on 16/12/2003 by rich006]

12-12-2003, 07:23 PM	#11
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631	Playoffs I don\'t know how we could possibly have a tie-breaker against Green Bay. Ooh, is it team with more black in their uniform goes?
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631

12-13-2003, 04:54 PM	#12
jm 100th Post Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 133	Playoffs for the Saints to win a wild card: Saints must win out Green Bay must lose 2 Dallas must lose one of the next 2 Sf needs to lose 1 TB needs to lose 1 Currently the Saints are 9 seed in NFC the 4th tie breaker is the killer , Strength of victory, Saints are .346, Dal .433, SF .423, GB .462, TB .462 (data from NFL.com) [Edited on 14/12/2003 by jm] [Edited on 14/12/2003 by jm]
jm 100th Post Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 133

12-13-2003, 05:46 PM	#13
saintz08 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,020	Playoffs The coroner\'s report on Sunday night\'s New York Giants-New Orleans Saints matchup (ESPN, 8:30 ET): One team dead; the other, barely alive. The Giants playoff hopes may be squandered, but the Carolina Panthers\' overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday, restored hope for the Saints. The final three weeks of the season will determine whether they\'ll be resuscitated or they\'ll flatline, and it starts Sunday night against a tough Big Blue defense. New Orleans Saints Over the last two seasons, the Saints have been December disappointments, finishing 0-3 last year and 0-4 in 2001. This year, they have the opportunity to not only make the playoffs, but to change the perception of their organization. Over the course of the season, the Saints have been rebuilt, restructured and plagued with injuries, yet they\'ve fought their way through and are hoping to finish strong. Brooks To meet that goal, the Saints can\'t beat themselves. Last Sunday, they out-played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yet they made just enough mistakes to lose 14-7. They lost three of four fumbles and allowed the Bucs to score two touchdowns in the final 1:25 before the half. Ultimately, two plays proved detrimental: Aaron Brooks\' dropped ball, which led to the Bucs\' first touchdown, and the blocked kick which followed shortly afterwards and put the Bucs up by seven. During the final three weeks of the season, every game will be close. Every game will boil down to one, maybe two crucial plays. If the Saints hope to break their bad December pattern, they\'ve got to do a better job of protecting the football. If you can\'t protect the football, you can\'t win. Much of the onus will fall on Brooks\' shoulders. Personally, I\'m a stickler who seeks perfection from the quarterback position. Brooks is the only guy on the field who\'s allowed to stop and give up without being hit -- running backs can\'t ask you not to hit them. So, the quarterback should be able to hold on to the ball. Particularly in close games, quarterbacks can\'t afford to make mistakes. Missed handoffs, interceptions and fumbles are not only field-position changers, they\'re momentum killers and can psychologically affect the ball club. Against great defenses, field position becomes monumental. Defensively, the Saints started the season with six new players. Defensive coordinator Rick Venturi told me that they would be a work in progress all year. Then, they were hit by the injury bug, and forced to rotate players, which made that \"work in progress\" become almost a work of impossibility. But they\'re a solid squad that should be able to disrupt the mistake-prone Giants offense. For the Saints to make the playoffs, they must approach each of their final games against New York, Jacksonville and Dallas with vigor right out of the gate. They\'ve got to jump out early and not let up through four quarters. The Jaguars\' 4-9 record doesn\'t reflect how well they\'ve been playing, and the Cowboys\' No. 1 defense can certainly cause the Saints some problems, but if the Saints can run the table, it will be a huge confidence builder to catapult them into the playoffs.
saintz08 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 3,020	\"Americans play to win at all times. I wouldn\'t give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed.\" - George S. Patton On another note, I\'ll take a bite of that crow 08. - Saintfan Brooks is a moron!! - Halo

12-14-2003, 10:40 AM	#14
rich006 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 335	Playoffs But alas, winning out is about as likely as Brittany Spears ripping my clothes off. But a more appealing prospect.. for the rest of us, anyway.
rich006 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 335

12-14-2003, 10:46 PM	#15
-RVD- Registered Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 78	Playoffs Whats the playoff picture now?

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12-15-2003, 07:22 AM	#16
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598	Playoffs We won, but we didn\'t get a lot of help this week for our playoff hopes. Dallas 9-5 has the same hopeless Giants next week, a win by the boys gives them 10 wins and almost definatly a playoff spot. Green Bay and Minnesota are both 8-6 and fighting for the division, one is in the other fights us, Seattle 8-6 and Tampa 7-7 for the last spot. So if any two of the following happens we are out even if we win our last two: 1 Dallas beats the Giants 2 Seattle wins one of its final two against the Cardinals or @ Niners 3Green Bay (@raiders, Broncos) or Vikings(Chief, @ Cardinals) win both of there final games 4Green Bay wins @ raiders and Vikings beat Cardinals 5Tampa Bay wins it\'s final two(Falcons,@ Titans) There it is, cheer accordingly but it is a long shot for sure. [Edited on 12/15/2003 by saint5221]
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598

12-15-2003, 07:24 PM	#17
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631	Playoffs Basically, Dallas has to tank, and either Minnesota and/or Seattle have to tank (and by tank I mean lose out), and we have to win out. Not likely. Coulda... Woulda... Shoulda.... Just wait \'til next year!! LMAO.
WhoDat 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,631

12-15-2003, 09:23 PM	#18
rich006 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 335	Playoffs Minnesota and GB could both lose next week. GB plays at Oakland on Monday night. The Raiders played well last week and usually play tough on Monday night, especially at home (remember when they almost beat the Chiefs this year?). Minnesota will probably not beat the Chiefs who are playing for home-field advantage in the AFC. Seattle will no doubt beat Arizona in Seattle. Let\'s say both MIN and GB lose next week. Then we only need Dallas to lose to the Giants (playing for pride after last night\'s humiliation), and MIN to lose at Ariizona OR GB to lose again to Denver in week 17. It\'s possible... However, I expect AB will have another shockingly poor performance next week, as he always does after a good game. We will lose to Jax and it will all be over but the shoutin\'. I hope I\'m wrong. It was great to see the offense play so well last night, but show me something remotely close to that for a few weeks in a row and we\'d be on top of the division now instead of barely hanging on with all the chances of a whelk in a supernova. Two great games in a season don\'t cut it and never will. Hopefully San Diego was watching last night, eh 08? [Edited on 16/12/2003 by rich006]
rich006 100th Post Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 335	"I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain."