Anyone taking the Cowboys...

[stretch]

you've spent all this time trashing him and calling him overrated and talking about how TO was gonna torch him, and now that he might not play suddenly it's "really bad"???

btw I see him listed as "probable" but again, and I know this is going to blow Whiskey Dog's mind since football is all about playing your best and leaving it all on the field and rah rah rah, but I wouldn't be shocked to see Belichick let Samuel sit this game out simply to give the Patriots another mental edge if the Super Bowl rematch happens.

Yea, I still think T.O. would torch him regardless, but he is still FAR better than Hobbs or Gay. If they are really relying on Hobbs and Gay to hold it down, their secondary is in even deeper than I thought. And their safeties are slow as . That secondary is going to have some major problems.

[FromWayDowntown]

I want super Pats fan Mono here to enlighten us:

What are some examples of the schemes or packages that Belicheck busts out only for the playoffs that puts his team over the top against the compe ion? During their Super Bowl wins, what did they change to get the advantage? What great strategy adjustments did Belichick make?

I know in the playoffs one year, Belichick broke out a 2-man front (against Indy, I think) with 3 or 4 linebackers (depending on down & distance). The scheme challenge came from varying which linebackers or DBs would come down into the box to add to the pass rush while using a variety of under coverages with the remaining linebackers to take away some of the things that the Colts liked to do.

Belichick also devised a scheme that took advantage of the Patriots' defensive physicality in Super Bowl XXXIV (vs. the Rams) to really take the Rams' big-play capability away from them. I'd say that was a great strategy adjustment and that it played a huge role in an undermanned team coming up with a win.

[monosylab1k]

Obviously a deflection on your part because you don't know what the you are talking about and have no answer for the BS you are spouting in here. I'll take that as a concession on your part.

No, you've convinced me. Holding out a healthy Corey Dillon from a game, playing man-to-man against Plaxico Burress and never bringing double coverage, not running a zone blitz ever against a rookie QB.....and then doing the exact opposite in the AFC Championship game....that's not holding anything back during the regular season against the Steelers.....that's just not having the heart to win the game. In the Championship Game, they obviously had the heart, and tsburgh didn't.

[mardigan]

Hopefully Pat Watkins gets some run in at safety on Moss's side throughout the game. His size could be a huge asset.
Btw Stretch, Marvin Harrison has problems torching Samuels, I dont know if TO will be able to. I think a lot of crossing routes and slants will be more likely.
Both te's in this game will be huge.

[stretch]

Hopefully Pat Watkins gets some run in at safety on Moss's side throughout the game. His size could be a huge asset.
Btw Stretch, Marvin Harrison has problems torching Samuels, I dont know if TO will be able to. I think a lot of crossing routes and slants will be more likely.
Both te's in this game will be huge.

Harrison always crumbles in the playoffs.

T.O. made Samuels look like garbage in the Superbowl... oh yea, and on a broken leg.

[Obstructed_View]

If Monday was lack of focus against a terrible team that was basically playing their super bowl, then I like the Cowboys' chances. If Monday was proof that they now have tape on Romo, like his critics have been suggesting, then they should get killed.

You can't discount the Pats' big game experience, but that makes the win last year against the Colts a big stepping stone for the Cowboys. Their defense has shown fundamental improvement, even if they aren't making lots of flashy plays. And the dirtiest player on the field will have a star on his helmet. I wouldn't be surprised if Roy Williams has set 25k aside in advance of this game.

[monosylab1k]

Harrison always crumbles in the playoffs.

T.O. made Samuels look like garbage in the Superbowl... oh yea, and on a broken leg.

First off, that SB was Samuel's second season and he was only on TO because Ty Law was hurt.

Maybe you don't remember, but your beloved Terrence Newman played like in his second season.

[stretch]

First off, that SB was Samuel's second season and he was only on TO because Ty Law was hurt.

Maybe you don't remember, but your beloved Terrence Newman played like in his second season.

T.O. is still bigger, stronger, smarter, and faster than Samuel. Plus we all know that when he talks up a big game, he shows up. Especially when going against Randy Moss.

[Whisky Dog]

If Monday was lack of focus against a terrible team that was basically playing their super bowl, then I like the Cowboys' chances. If Monday was proof that they now have tape on Romo, like his critics have been suggesting, then they should get killed.

You can't discount the Pats' big game experience, but that makes the win last year against the Colts a big stepping stone for the Cowboys. Their defense has shown fundamental improvement, even if they aren't making lots of flashy plays. And the dirtiest player on the field will have a star on his helmet. I wouldn't be surprised if Roy Williams has set 25k aside in advance of this game.

At this point there isn't some big secret about Romo that can be figured out on tape, the Bills didn't even do anything really different than what Romo has seen before. Romo was just off, making the bad decision to force throws into coverage, and didn't take the 5 to 7 yarders in the check downs that the defense was giving him. It's more about Romo continuing to learn from mistakes than anything the defense can do to him.


We should have a VBookie on what quarter Roy will snap the leg of Randy Moss with a horse collar tackle.

[FromWayDowntown]

Especially when going against Randy Moss.

Do we really know that? Those guys have gone head-to-head 3 times that I count. In 2003, the Vikings beat the Niners 35-7; Moss had 8-172 and 3 scores while TO had 5-55. In 2004, Philly beat the Vikings 27-16; Moss had 8-69 and a score, while TO had 4-79 and a score. In 2005, Philly beat the Raiders 23-20; Moss had 5-86 while TO had 9-80 and a TD.

In 3 games, TO has 18 catches for 204 yards (11.3 avg) and 2 TD.

In 3 games, Moss has 21 catches for 327 yards (15.6 avg) and 4 TD.

[stretch]

Do we really know that? Those guys have gone head-to-head 3 times that I count. In 2003, the Vikings beat the Niners 35-7; Moss had 8-172 and 3 scores while TO had 5-55. In 2004, Philly beat the Vikings 27-16; Moss had 8-69 and a score, while TO had 4-79 and a score. In 2005, Philly beat the Raiders 23-20; Moss had 5-86 while TO had 9-80 and a TD.

In 3 games, TO has 18 catches for 204 yards (11.3 avg) and 2 TD.

In 3 games, Moss has 21 catches for 327 yards (15.6 avg) and 4 TD.

In those last two games, T.O. talked the game up, and showed up and made the big playes. I watched both of those games, and he had some very big plays at big times.

Also, Moss's stats are very inflated by that one game in 2003, which also was the year that San Fran turned into utter garbage, and T.O. started acting like an asshole and gave up on them.

[FromWayDowntown]

Also, Moss's stats are very inflated by that one game in 2003, which also was the year that San Fran turned into utter garbage, and T.O. started acting like an asshole and gave up on them.

Not so much.

Taking away the 2003 game, the numbers look like this:

TO: 13-159, 2TD
Moss: 13-155, TD

And it's not like the 2005 Raiders were somehow a stellar team . . . .

[stretch]

Not so much.

Taking away the 2003 game, the numbers look like this:

TO: 13-159, 2TD
Moss: 13-155, TD

And it's not like the 2005 Raiders were somehow a stellar team . . . .

How are you going to tell me that an extra 8 catches for 172 yards and 3 TDs is not inflating them much? You must be crazy.

Again, I also watched both of those games, start to finish. T.O.'s plays were far more meaningful and impressive than Moss' plays in those games.

[FromWayDowntown]

How are you going to tell me that an extra 8 catches for 172 yards and 3 TDs is not inflating them much? You must be crazy.

Again, I also watched both of those games, start to finish. T.O.'s plays were far more meaningful and impressive than Moss' plays in those games.

And I've shown you that their numbers, taking away the one huge game for Moss, are still almost identical. Unless you're going to tell me that 13-159 and 13-155 aren't very similar.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Wow, Cowboy Fan is betting this game hard. Line opened at 4.5 and is now 6.

The casinos are going to make a killing on this game.

[Whisky Dog]

Wow, Cowboy Fan is betting this game hard. Line opened at 4.5 and is now 6.

The casinos are going to make a killing on this game.

Cowboys are dogs or favored?

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

The Cowboys are favored.

Edit: My bad, the money is the other way. The Boys are dogs.

[dickface]

And I've shown you that their numbers, taking away the one huge game for Moss, are still almost identical. Unless you're going to tell me that 13-159 and 13-155 aren't very similar.

He just said that TO showed up, he didn't say anything about TO outplaying Moss.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Dallas is +6.

[FromWayDowntown]

He just said that TO showed up, he didn't say anything about TO outplaying Moss.

Fair enough -- but then you'd have to say, also, that Moss tends to show up (at least as well as TO) when playing against TO.

[monosylab1k]

I just heard on the radio that Maroney may not play....oh well, Sammy Morris is doing great anyways. Maroney is such a pussy. Great runner but he's got a major vagina and showed it in the playoffs last season.

Maroney is questionable, Samuel is now probable, and Adalius Thomas & Kevin Faulk should both be playing despite getting hurt on Sunday.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

When picking the outright winner in games like this, I almost always go with the team with the better QB. I think the Cowboys will cover and lose, 31-27.

[Hook Dem]

If you're betting on this game, why wouldn't you pick NE to win? That does not mean that the Cowboys don't have a legit chance to win.

[stretch]

And I've shown you that their numbers, taking away the one huge game for Moss, are still almost identical. Unless you're going to tell me that 13-159 and 13-155 aren't very similar.

Not once did I say that they aren't similar. I just said that T.O. had the bigger and more meaningful plays in those games. Stats don't always tell the whole story. And I think face summed it up well for me.

[Findog]

wow, the Cowboys are getting 6 points at home???? Unbelievable. I'll pick them to cover and lose as well. They will play better than they did against Buffalo. That was the Bills' Super Bowl.