Saints fans will be pulling for Carolina and the upset. We know what happens when we have to play outside in January. Of course, Tampa Bay is still in the playoff hunt, so they’ll be looking to knock us out of contention for the #1 seed.
Unbelievably, I will likely miss the game unless I can find it on radio. Spending tomorrow through Saturday night with the Druidess in a secluded mountain cabin. She’s worth it.
It’s extremely unlikely that the Falcons lose at home to the Panthers, especially with so much at stake for the Falcons now. Win, and they have a bye week and home field all the way. Lose, and there’s a real good chance that they wind up as a wild card.
That said, stranger things have happened. I would never totally discount the chances of a division rival with nothing to lose to pull off a big upset. I wouldn’t bet on it, mind you.
Would you bet on it if someone gave you 7.5-1 odds? Because that’s what’s being offered. Basically, if the money line odds are accurate, then Carolina should expect to win slightly more than 10% of the time (factoring in the vigorish).
I’d probably want considerably longer odds, and even then I’d probably only put a token amount on it. Probably more on the order of 15 or 20-1, which is probably unheard of in sports books for a money line on an NFL game.
The thing to remember about odds and betting lines in sports books is that they are designed to get roughly equal action on both sides. The whole point is to minimize risk and make the money on the vig. I very rarely bet on sports, and when I do it’s usually a longshot flyer with a small bet.
Late in the first half of tonight’s game, Viking CB Antoine Winfield stripped Michael Vick and then recovered the fumble and ran it in for a touchdown. Apparently he is being credited with a sack, which I do not comprehend - Vick was stripped of the ball, but not tackled. Why is that a sack?
Forcing a fumble by the quarterback counts as a sack.
Thanks, Implicit.
If you force a fumble by a non-QB the NFL counts that as a tackle too, same reasoning.
For the eagles to lose this game, and it was over in the third, with a bye on the line, against a 3rd string QB, is disgusting. I’m fucking disgusted. Bet the house on dallas next week and everything you own on whoever the eagles play in round one. This team is just gassed. Fuck.
I’ve never seen a team with something at stake play like that before. I guess they wanted that extra game. It looks like they need the practice anyway.
The Eagles always play weak on Tuesdays.
Bret who? Thanks Vikes for giving the Bears a week or two off.
I was fully expecting the Vikings to get blown out, but our defense dominated the game and Joe webb outplayed Vick. Who’d have thought it? I guess that’s karma for the Iggles being too pussy to play in some snow.
You’re welcome, but how about returning the favor and knocking the Pack out of the playoffs next week. I at least wouldn’t mind seeing Rodgers get rung up a few times.
Yes you have. The Eagles did it in exactly the same fashion last year against Dallas in week 17. Except they played better tonight.
Yeah, last year was much worse. And it was followed the next week with the football equivalent of the Hindenburg disaster. Lets hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
Vick got a little hobbled early and had a bad passing game (the Vikings were making me nuts with all the dropped picks). The Vikes were bring blitz after blitz and MV didn’t have it with his arm tonight. Since the Eagle’s playoff spot is now locked in at the three seed, maybe they should just take it easy on him next week and let him get ready for the first round.
One thing Eagles fans should probably be concerned about is their defense. They couldn’t get a stop against a 3rd string QB making his first start when they needed one. If they aren’t sitting on a big lead, the Philly D is not exactly a wall.
Typically that Philly D is pretty good against the run (Antonio Dixon made a huge, huge impact there) and very, very vulnerable against the pass. It’s a tired excuse, but the fault there is truly injuries. The Eagles are without their top draft pick and starter at right end in Brandon Graham, their second draft pick and starting S Nate Allen, without their starting MLB Stewart Bradley (their defensive field general and a future All Pro if he can stay healthy), and their starting corner opposite Samuel.
The defense would be fine if they were healthy. As it is, they are vulnerable and absolutely going to blow it for the team in round one. They can’t tackle. They can’t even pursue properly. It’s just a tired unit stuffed with seventh rounders who weren’t expected to contribute at all this season. What can you do?
And the offensive line is abysmal. Peters and Herremans have been very good this season, but outside of them, it’s a disaster. Were it not for McCoy being such an outstanding blocker, Vick would unquestionably be out for the season as well by now. It was really visible during that game that the entire offensive line was almost a full second slower than the snap, as if they didn’t know the snap count. They were abused at the line of scrimmage and Vick never had a chance to stand still and go through his progressions.
And Vick has regressed, badly. I don’t know if it’s the weather or that defenses have figured him out, but he’s become a rather poor thrower over the last few weeks. He should have had four picks this game if the Vikings DBs weren’t crossed eyed and pathetic. Who’s to blame here? It’s an awfully bad time for the team to be imploding and there being no clear answers or solutions. Like I said, bet the house against whoever is playing Philly in round one.
One game doesn’t make a habit, and this Saints team is more talented at literally every position on the field but DE compared to the 06 team.
Things are looking pretty good for the Saints to have to play only one outside game (Chicago). And don’t think Brees and the rest of the leftovers from that team have forgotten the shit all of the Bears fans pulled. After that, there’s a 2/3 chance the Saints are in a Dome and 1/3 chance it’s in the Superdome (I think GB matches up well with both the Eagles and Falcons).
The Giants played even worse with everything on the line just a couple days ago.