Watching The AFC Championship Game

by Brandon on Jan 23, 2012 5:00 AM CST in Green Bay Packers Games

I didn't watch much of the AFC championship game. But that last minute drive by the Ravens in the fourth quarter showed why the Patriots might have a problem in the Super Bowl.

The Patriots put WR Julian Edelman on defense to cover WR Anquan Boldin, and Boldin had four receptions on the Ravens final drive. If they have to put Edelman on Boldin, he's probably going to be asked to cover Victor Cruz or Hakeem Nicks. That can't go well. Also, the Patriots weren't able to put much pressure on Joe Flacco, and the Ravens don't have a great offensive line. Tom Brady is going to have to win a shootout.

I felt really bad for former Badger (current Ravens) WR Lee Evans, who could've/should've caught a 14 yard touchdown pass to win it. Of course, no one should feel as bad Ravens K Billy Cundiff, who missed a 32 yard field goal attempt that would have tied it with 11 seconds left.

Poll

Did the Patriots deserve to win the game?

Yes

67 votes

No

129 votes

196 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Sure, the Patriots earned the win

The defense forced them to a short field goal for a tie, and a kicker missed. They weren’t going to automatically lose the game if that FG went through. The very fact that they broke up the TD pass a play or two earlier shows that they “deserved” to win.

by Danwood on Jan 23, 2012 6:34 AM CST reply actions

The Patriots earned it.

Evans dropping a TD pass and Cundiff missing isn’t New England’s problem. Too bad, Baltimore.

by mike_o on Jan 23, 2012 7:40 AM CST reply actions

I feel as if the Patriots lucked into a win.

Having a kicker miss a 32 yard FG (around 90+% successful), and having a WR drop the game winning TD? Not to mention all the other breaks they got yesterday? The Patriots lucked into a win, while the Ravens lost the game.

by Shoes31 on Jan 23, 2012 7:54 AM CST reply actions

WR didn't "Drop It"

It was knocked from his hand by the Pats defender. This wasn’t a Finley drop.

by Danwood on Jan 23, 2012 8:50 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Or worse

a James Jones drop…

Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog, and Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Jan 23, 2012 9:44 AM CST up reply actions

It looked like to me

As soon as the WR caught it, he didn’t try to secure it properly.

by Shoes31 on Jan 23, 2012 2:39 PM CST up reply actions

I don't think he had any time to "secure it properly"

And he did what just about any other receiver would’ve done in the time he DID have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIH-GrnnPVM

by Danwood on Jan 23, 2012 7:34 PM CST up reply actions

Pats deserved it

They outplayed the Ravens. To me, barring any horrendous officiating or some other extenuating circumstance, the team that won the game usually deserved to win it.

I still think the Ravens are the better team, but that’s not the same thing as deserving to win. As Mike Golic and Cris Carter said this morning, there is no one guy that outworks everybody else and thus deserves to win more. Most of the 53 guys on the roster work hard. I still think the Saints and Packers were the best teams in the NFC, but they didn’t handle their business and thus didn’t deserve to be in the championship game.

by doldham on Jan 23, 2012 8:58 AM CST reply actions 3 recs

In other words,

To me, barring any horrendous officiating or some other extenuating circumstance, the team that won the game usually deserved to win it.

in any game that is not a loss

by the Viking, Lions or Giants,

the team that won the game usually deserved to win it.

"Perfection is not attainable,
but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

"We're nobody's underdog!"

"We don't play scared!"

After further review,
the Munsters of the Midway still suck!

by NorthStarr on Jan 23, 2012 9:25 PM CST up reply actions

From what I saw, for the most part the Ravens played stellar defense

It’s just too bad that they have Joe Flacco as their QB. And Billy Cundiff as their kicker. Patriots are a hard team to beat and that O line of theirs is pretty damn good. The Ravens got tons of pressure on Brady, but in the end he outscored them because Flacco couldn’t keep up. Too bad. I was hoping #52 would get another ring before he hung it up (seeing as how he’s been playing since ’96, retirement is looking inevitable)

When life gives ya lemons, shut up and eat your damn lemons.
Brett Favre will lead the Vikings to a Victory in Super Bowl XLVI, Guaranteed! - REVENGE4FAVRE

by P-Townfan on Jan 23, 2012 10:38 AM CST reply actions