A predicition: The winner of Bears/Panthers

[kick-ass-bob]

goes to the Super Bowl for the NFC.

Defense wins championships.

Don't think so? Just note the total dismantling of the Giants high powered offense. :wow:

I also predict that game will be done in 2 1/2 hours, from all the rushing plays being called. :P

[libnnc]

1. I concur.

Will be watching with great interest here in NC. :D

[Mojambo]

2. Defense wins championships

This gets thrown around a lot, but historically there is actually very little statistical evidence to back up this claim.

Here's a decent article on it.

http://www.ffmastermind.com/2004/articles/bc072804.php

There are better statistical analyses out there on the subject, but I'm pressed for time right now.

It's tough to win a championship without a passable defense, but there is little evidence that an elite defense gets you there more often.

[kick-ass-bob]

9. It's actually defense and running the ball.

And pass when you need to.

My hopes for the NFC Championship game have come true!

(See some other thread in Sports or here in the Football forum - I'm too lazy to find it)

[Mojambo]

3. Here's another decent article on the topic

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/ramblings.php?p=145&cat=1

[sandnsea]

4. It's Seattle's year

All the way. Especially if defense wins championships because it was all about Seattle's defense today.

[dad]

5. o9099

What a great game btwn the Bears and Panthers. It reminded me of the 2003 "nipple" Super Bowl because towards the end the CAR D couldn't stop Chicago and CHI D couldn't stop Crackalaka. The main lesson to be learned is, Steve Smith is the MVP of the NFL.

So now it's anybody's Super Bowl for the taking. I suppose Denver is the favorite now. If Sean Alexander is out, the Panthers will take the Seahags easy next week. And if not, they might take 'em anyhow. When will teams learn, you gotta put like 3 guys on Steve Smith, every play. Nobody else on the Panthers can do anything. It's like the Jordan rules or something. Who was that guy on the Bears D saying they weren't getting any respect .... well that is so damn stupid, because they were getting plenty up til they just got owned by Steve Smith today.

I was out of the house all day until 4:30 PM and thus did not see a minute of the Indy/Pitt matchup. I never even cared about missing it because I was sure it would be a blowout for Indy. So can somebody tell me _what in the hell happened_? This year Indy was the best team I've seen since the 85 Bears, and they friggin lost in round one? What in the hell happened? I gotta know how they got beat, at home, by a team whom they by all rights should have kicked their ass all over the stadium.

SEEYA

[trotsky]

7. What the hell happened:

The Colts did not fix the flaws exploited by San Diego. Cowher & the Steelers used the exact same formula - heavy QB pressure - to force Manning into bad throws or be sacked. Then on offense they found holes in the vaunted Cover-2 and ran the ball exceedingly well.

I dunno, it just seemed like the Colts came out expecting the game to be awarded to them. Like they were expecting the same Pittsburgh gameplan that they defeated easily at home several weeks ago.

I am no Manning fan, though, so I am glad to see them lose.

[nickinSTL]

6. What the hell were the Bears coaches thinking?

I mean, really. Just because you have a slightly better quarterback doesn't mean you take a running team and win a playoff game by passing :eyes:

And the Bears defense was...bad. How the hell does the top defense in the NFL leave the opposing team's leading receiver WIDE OPEN through most of a game? :wtf:

The poor play of the defense, coupled with the asinine play-calling on offense, handed this game to Carolina. S#!^, the 49ers would've had a chance against the Bears between those 2 things. :puke:

[trotsky]

8. Boy oh boy that's the $20,000 question.

"Wide open" doesn't even begin to describe how Smith was on most plays. And OK, say you're going to attempt to cover him man-on-man. Maybe you could do it with the world's best cover guy. So why do you put your ROOKIE CB on him?

The playoffs are all about coaching and preparation. Clearly the Panthers have both, and the Bears had neither.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I'll Provide Another Question For Another $20k

The Steelers game showed the Bears were susceptible to screen plays. Wideouts, RBs, TE's, FB's didn't matter. Couldn't stop the screen.

In the Panthers game, they were killed by the screen which kept the safeties down low so that a receiver as good as Smith was never double covered.

The question: Why is Ron Rivera so incompetent that he never could figure out how to defend the screen?
The Professor