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NFL: Super Bowl Edition


Mya Stone

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It's a day later and my heart's still broken. I'm trying not to give in to that tendency to label the most recent thing as the best/worst thing ever, but I don't think there has been a more killer loss in my adult sports fan life. The stakes of the game plus the game-ending missed FG from 32 yards, right after the dropped/stripped pass that would have been the game-winning TD... ouch.

When I was younger, I'd say there was UMd vs. Duke in the 2001 Final Four, and then the Jeffrey Maier game, but both of those were officiating screwjobs, and they didn't have that last-second dagger nature.

I'm right there with you, big guy. The only thing that made this loss palatable was that both games were amazing. You can't really ask for much more as a football fan. Outside of our teams not coughing it up at the end.

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I doubt that history will prove Coughlin to be a better coach than Harbaugh.

Coughlin's an interesting case. Hard to know where to rank the guy. Every year you get the Coughlin Watch and stories about guys quitting on him because practices are too hard or whatever. At the same time, when they win, he never gets the credit. It's either Eli Manning or Steve Spagnoulo or the D-line or whatever.

But seeing the Giants on the run they are this year, so eerily reminiscent of the one in 2007, I mean once could be a fluke, but twice has to mean something . The facts are what they are: Coughlin's probably the greatest underdog coach of all time.

When his team is the favorite, they don't do shit, but when he's the underdog, on the road, his teams consistently beat the best. Beat a 15 win team and a 13 win team this year, both on the road. Beat the Undefeated Pats in the Superbowl 4 years ago and the last great Packers team with Favre. When he coached Jacksonville they beat Kelly in Buffalo and Elway in Denver in 1996 (back when no-one ever won in Buffalo or Denver). And the thing about that Denver team he beat is that it immediately went on to win two Superbowls in the next two years. Could've easily been three straight superbowls if not for that Jaguars team. It's a crazy resume.

Harbaugh looks like the next great coach, but think its time to give Coughlin credit for being a helluva coach in his own right.

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I doubt that history will prove Coughlin to be a better coach than Harbaugh. Do you think he's better than Belicheck seeing as how he beat him the last time they met this season and back in the Superbowl?

Well Coughlin is probably 50% for Canton. He's a lock if he wins the Super Bowl. (taking a 10-6 and a 9-7 team all the way is impressive coaching any way you look at it).

I'm a Giants fan. As a fan, I'm going with them in the big game. But intellectually, I don't see this as an easy game to pick, mostly because I can't figure out the true talent level of either defense.

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On Harbaugh: this is a guy that took a Alex-Smith led team with literally no NFL-caliber WRs on the active roster and would be playing in the superbowl if not for his backup KR/PR guy failing twice.

Coughlin's good, but the talent comparison is pretty insane between the two teams.

On the Superbowl: I'm picking the GIants. Here's why:

1. In the last five weeks the GIants and the Pats are playing at about the same level. The Giants have had a crap season but they turned it on crazily in the last few weeks. That isn't to say that they can't regress; just that I don't think they will.

2. Gronk's injury. I realize that he said he could play last night, but my bet is that it's a bit worse than a twisted ankle. It will affect him most notably on blocking, I think.

3. The matchups. Baltimore and Pats favored the Pats and they barely won. The strength of Baltimore's offense was their running game which played into the Pats' defensive "strength". The weakness was not something Flacco could exploit significantly well. While NYG's defense isn't nearly as good as Baltimore, they excel at two things: pressure and coverage.

On the flip side, the Pats were using Julian Edelman to cover the slot receiver. The slot receiver for the Giants is named Victor Cruz. That alone favors the Giants.

4. Eli Manning. Eli showed that despite being hit on literally 1 third of his dropbacks he can still make plays. When he was given time he could make stupidly crazy plays. I don't see the Pats putting pressure on him consistently, and I don't see it mattering a lot.

5. Turnovers: the Giants are doing significantly better at generating them in the last 5 weeks; the Pats are not.

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I'm not meaning to take anything away from him. He's a hell of a coach, but I don't think he outcoached Harbaugh yesterday. That's all I was trying to say.

On Harbaugh: this is a guy that took a Alex-Smith led team with literally no NFL-caliber WRs on the active roster and would be playing in the superbowl if not for his backup KR/PR guy failing twice.

I agree, I think Harbaugh has done the best coaching job in football this season hands down. Changing the whole culture of that organization the way he did was remarkable. They completely took on his personality and they did it without an offseason.

Going to be real interesting to see what he does for an encore.

Well Coughlin is probably 50% for Canton. He's a lock if he wins the Super Bowl. (taking a 10-6 and a 9-7 team all the way is impressive coaching any way you look at it).

Agree with all of the above.

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I doubt that history will prove Coughlin to be a better coach than Harbaugh.

It is ridiculous to say such a thing. Coughlin is one of the most succesful coaches in the NFL. Harbaugh is a rookie nothing.

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It's a day later and my heart's still broken. I'm trying not to give in to that tendency to label the most recent thing as the best/worst thing ever, but I don't think there has been a more killer loss in my adult sports fan life. The stakes of the game plus the game-ending missed FG from 32 yards, right after the dropped/stripped pass that would have been the game-winning TD... ouch.

When I was younger, I'd say there was UMd vs. Duke in the 2001 Final Four, and then the Jeffrey Maier game, but both of those were officiating screwjobs, and they didn't have that last-second dagger nature.

That was a brutal brutal game for a Ravens fan. I think that you are correct in calling it the worst loss as a fan of your life. I was rooting for the Ravens, (although I am not a Ravens fan), and I still felt horribly cheated by fate at the end of that game. The entire game was leading to this final drive crescendo, and when it defeat happened it was so sudden. I don't typically have much pity for Ravens fans, but that was cruel.

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I don't think I've seen this mentioned anywhere (and I haven't actually looked at the numbers to confirm, I'm just going off what I remember) but statistically, Tom Brady was the worst QB on the field yesterday. It was actually quite amazing that Brady could have such a terrible day and the Patriots still win the game

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I do give credit to the NE DB for the strip, but you have to hold onto/secure the ball. I'm more inclined to blame the reciever than praise the DB in that particular instance.

It's awesome that he made that play but he's also the guy who failed to wrap up Torrey Smith two yards short of a first down on 3rd and 3, and let Smith get into the end zone. So he saved the Pats 4 points on the strip, but it only just makes up for giving up 4 points on the Torrey Smith play.

It was actually quite amazing that Brady could have such a terrible day and the Patriots still win the game

Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but that is something that makes me happy -- in the last few years, there was just no hope if Brady wasn't having a good day. This game and a couple other games this year, the defense actually stepped up and bailed out Brady.

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Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but that is something that makes me happy -- in the last few years, there was just no hope if Brady wasn't having a good day. This game and a couple other games this year, the defense actually stepped up and bailed out Brady.

It really is room for optimism if you're a Patriots fan. Tom Brady threw for under 250 yards, no touchdown passes and two interceptions, but the Patriots still won in part because of the running game and defense. Sounds like Bizarro NFL (or 10 years ago).

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It is certainly something that the Pats haven't had since, well, 2004 - players that could reasonably bail out Brady if they weren't doing so well. The closest was maybe 2008, when the offense was so good that it didn't matter who was QB - but even then they weren't good enough without him.

That being said, I'm not sure how playing defense well against Joe Flacco and Baltimore is a good indicator of anything. They were highly variable and highly odd during the season and their offense was never particulary reliable, especially when the running game didn't get going.

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I don't think I've seen this mentioned anywhere (and I haven't actually looked at the numbers to confirm, I'm just going off what I remember) but statistically, Tom Brady was the worst QB on the field yesterday. It was actually quite amazing that Brady could have such a terrible day and the Patriots still win the game

The defense stepped up. It made me happy because the defense has been maligned all year.

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I think folks are making a bit too much about Tom's bad day or the Pat's great defense.

The Pats played two of the worst offensive teams in the country in the playoffs and did fairly decently against them. They played a mediocre defense and the best defense in the country; Brady looked great against one and bad against another. It's not exactly a shock.

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It is ridiculous to say such a thing. Coughlin is one of the most succesful coaches in the NFL. Harbaugh is a rookie nothing.

I think time will prove you wrong. Look at this guys' resume. He's turned awful programs into winning programs everywhere he's coached. And he's done it quickly. I'm not taking anything away from Coughlin, I just believe that Harbaugh will end up with the superior numbers when all is said and done.

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Well Coughlin is probably 50% for Canton. He's a lock if he wins the Super Bowl. (taking a 10-6 and a 9-7 team all the way is impressive coaching any way you look at it).

I'm a Giants fan. As a fan, I'm going with them in the big game. But intellectually, I don't see this as an easy game to pick, mostly because I can't figure out the true talent level of either defense.

I think he is in Canton; however, with his relationship with the New York media and for also rubbing some of his players and fans the wrong way, if they struggle he will be on the hot seat again. I wonder if he would retire if he wins, so he goes out on top.

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4. Eli Manning. Eli showed that despite being hit on literally 1 third of his dropbacks he can still make plays. When he was given time he could make stupidly crazy plays. I don't see the Pats putting pressure on him consistently, and I don't see it mattering a lot.

I didn't watch the game that carefully, but the Giants put up 20 points and Eli had two dropped interceptions, one of which was caused by two 49ers players colliding.

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I think folks are making a bit too much about Tom's bad day or the Pat's great defense.

Who has called that defense great? I don't think you'll find anyone saying that who isn't 1) a hack on some sports show or 2) the most homer of homers.

That Brady can be contained but the team still win is good news for the Patriots because they'll be facing a defense similar to that of the Ravens in two weeks.

The Pats played two of the worst offensive teams in the country in the playoffs and did fairly decently against them.

They played the best rushing team in the league and the 10th best rushing team (with statistically the 2nd best back). They managed to shut both down while not getting torched in the passing game as a result. That's a success.

They played a mediocre defense and the best defense in the country; Brady looked great against one and bad against another. It's not exactly a shock.

The shock is that he looked bad and the team still won. That's the whole point.

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Of course that may happen. I am not dismissing Harbaugh as a coach. I just think it is easier said than done, and Coughlin has been succesful year in and year out in the toughest city in the US to be a head coach in. Look at all of the 'next big things' he has outlived coaching the other team in NY. He also made a perrenial loser into a winner in college (BC), and then ressurected the Giants and maintained them with consistency in a tough division.

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