ESPN thinks we'll lose to the Saints

[Kevin Greene]

That is why I said the last week of the season. Just listening to a lot of former NFL players (now anlalysts) talk about it over the years it is common place that many lockers are mostly cleaned out before the game starts and they are in "vacation mode". You are not going to get 100% out of those guys. Kind of like a kid on the last day of school before summer, you just can't wait to get on the bus and get out of there. Not all guys are like that but a large portion are.

Not too long ago Drew Brees blew out his shoulder the last day of the season, one of the main reasons he's in New Orleans now. Don't think that doesn't come to mind.

[RockECU]

That is why I said the last week of the season. Just listening to a lot of former NFL players (now anlalysts) talk about it over the years it is common place that many lockers are mostly cleaned out before the game starts and they are in "vacation mode". You are not going to get 100% out of those guys. Kind of like a kid on the last day of school before summer, you just can't wait to get on the bus and get out of there. Not all guys are like that but a large portion are.

Last season, last week.. Teams with nothing to play for are bolded... Starred games show teams that had nothing to play for beating playoff contenders.. Some of those teams may have been resting starters as I cannot recall that..

Buffalo 9 at Philadelphia 17

Carolina 31 at Tampa Bay 23 ***

Cincinnati 38 at Miami 25

Detroit 13 at Green Bay 34

Jacksonville 28 at Houston 42 ***

New Orleans 25 at Chicago 33

Seattle 41 at Atlanta 44 ***

San Francisco 7 at Cleveland 20

Dallas 6 at Washington 27

Minnesota 19 at Denver 22

Pittsburgh 21 at Baltimore 27 ***

San Diego 30 at Oakland 17

St. Louis 19 at Arizona 48

Kansas City 10 at N.Y. Jets 13

Tennessee 16 at Indianapolis 10

New England 38 at N.Y. Giants 35

[monstercat]

Mark me down as "strongly disagree" when it comes to that statement. Although he is a bit on the "brash" side, I think he will emerge as one of the better analysts in the game.

You know, a month ago I would have agreed with you, but a couple of weeks ago, Dilfer called Tony Romo the most talented QB in the NFC, which is a big ole bag of BS. I would take Jake Delhomme over Romo in the big games every single time.

BTW, why are so many Panther fans assuming that we will lose to the Saints? Half of you were sure we would beat the Giants, who are a much better team. I don't get it.

[Johnny Rockets]

You know, a month ago I would have agreed with you, but a couple of weeks ago, Dilfer called Tony Romo the most talented QB in the NFC, which is a big ole bag of BS. I would take Jake Delhomme over Romo in the big games every single time.

BTW, why are so many Panther fans assuming that we will lose to the Saints? Half of you were sure we would beat the Giants, who are a much better team. I don't get it.

You may be on to something.....getting on TV does have a way of changing some people and I can see Dilfer being that type of guy but I hope that isn't the case because he could be very good.

Listening to him on the radio from time to time (before he got on TV) I kept thinking how dead on this guy was and how he was going to make a great TV analyst one day. I have only seen bits and peices of him on TV though since it is hard to stomach ESPN at times.

[SCpanther]

this may shock you but when you have someone on your most watched show come out and talk he speaks for your company, plus ESPN wants the Falcons to win the division and that's why they got are rooting against us, what could be a better story for them then the Falcons winning the division this season.

ESPN employs a bunch of talking heads, all with differing opinions. They speak for themselves, not the TV station.

[Johnny Rockets]

Last season, last week.. Teams with nothing to play for are bolded... Starred games show teams that had nothing to play for beating playoff contenders.. Some of those teams may have been resting starters as I cannot recall that..

Buffalo 9 at Philadelphia 17

Carolina 31 at Tampa Bay 23 ***

Cincinnati 38 at Miami 25

Detroit 13 at Green Bay 34

Jacksonville 28 at Houston 42 ***

New Orleans 25 at Chicago 33

Seattle 41 at Atlanta 44 ***

San Francisco 7 at Cleveland 20

Dallas 6 at Washington 27

Minnesota 19 at Denver 22

Pittsburgh 21 at Baltimore 27 ***

San Diego 30 at Oakland 17

St. Louis 19 at Arizona 48

Kansas City 10 at N.Y. Jets 13

Tennessee 16 at Indianapolis 10

New England 38 at N.Y. Giants 35

Just saying that over the years many former players are quick to point out that teams no longer in contention are less than motivated to play the game and can't wait to just get it overwith and are just trying to avoid an injury in the last game of the year which is meaningless. Maybe those playoff teams had nothing to gain from winning that last game either...I don't know. Not saying it is the written rule but it makes sense to me.

Why anyone would think the Saints would be more motivated to win this game than the Panthers is beyond me. The phsycological factor of this game should defenitely be in the Panthers favor here and they have the better talent. But then again, it was in the Eagles favor against the Redskins last week also.

[Davidson Deac II]

Last season, last week.. Teams with nothing to play for are bolded... Starred games show teams that had nothing to play for beating playoff contenders.. Some of those teams may have been resting starters as I cannot recall that..

Buffalo 9 at Philadelphia 17

Carolina 31 at Tampa Bay 23 ***

Cincinnati 38 at Miami 25

Detroit 13 at Green Bay 34

Jacksonville 28 at Houston 42 ***

New Orleans 25 at Chicago 33

Seattle 41 at Atlanta 44 ***

San Francisco 7 at Cleveland 20

Dallas 6 at Washington 27

Minnesota 19 at Denver 22

Pittsburgh 21 at Baltimore 27 ***

San Diego 30 at Oakland 17

St. Louis 19 at Arizona 48

Kansas City 10 at N.Y. Jets 13

Tennessee 16 at Indianapolis 10

New England 38 at N.Y. Giants 35

The problem with your starred teams is that the teams that they beat had nothing to play for either. Losing to Carolina cost Tampa nothing. Garcia didn't play much if at all. Pittsburgh had already clinched the division, and couldn't move up any. Seattle had clinched its division, but could not catch Dallas or Green Bay. I think its the same with the other game as well. So neither team had anything to play for and the lessor team won because the better team had its starters sitting out.

If memory serves, the games that did mean something were Washington/Dallas, Tn/Indy, and Cleveland/SF. In all three games, the teams that had to win to have a shot at the playoffs did win. The skins, Tn, and Cleveland all had to win to have a shot, but Cleveland got left at home anyway. Dallas had already locked up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, Indy had locked up the first round bye, and SF had locked up staying at home.

[Ncstatefan]

If we cant beat the saints then we dont deserve the Div IMO. The mark of a playoff or SB team is to over come adversity and win games. The Saints are a bad team no matter how you cut it and we should win.

:thumbsup:

[RockECU]

That is why I said the last week of the season. Just listening to a lot of former NFL players (now anlalysts) talk about it over the years it is common place that many lockers are mostly cleaned out before the game starts and they are in "vacation mode". You are not going to get 100% out of those guys. Kind of like a kid on the last day of school before summer, you just can't wait to get on the bus and get out of there. Not all guys are like that but a large portion are.

... I don't really see the difference between the 2nd to last week and the last week of the season when it comes to playing spoiler and having nothing to play for. Equating the NFL to schoolkids is kind of a stretch. If I'm not mistaken, there are still bonuses to be had. And it's not like non-contender teams haven't beaten contender teams or teams with something to lose before. I remember it happening a number of times...

[X-Clown]

oh no I don't think the team I cheer for is going to win that must mean I cheer for the other team now

probably.

Yeah it was you. You had a bet w/ Saint J in the Smack Forum saying that one of you was going to stop posting for a month depending upon which team won....then the week before you said you would probably be gone because the Saints were going to blow us out.

[Kyle82]

I bet we'll have more Falcon fans pulling for the Aints this week than their own fans will

[Carolina890]

ESPN is a bunch of shitheads...I wouldn't care if they picked in our favor...

[N1kkadeemuz]

They all watch the same game we do, their prediction is as good as anyone else's. They just get paid really good.....damn I need a job like that.

[Johnny Rockets]

... I don't really see the difference between the 2nd to last week and the last week of the season when it comes to playing spoiler and having nothing to play for. Equating the NFL to schoolkids is kind of a stretch. If I'm not mistaken, there are still bonuses to be had. And it's not like non-contender teams haven't beaten contender teams or teams with something to lose before. I remember it happening a number of times...

I guess the difference is that many guys are physically packed up and ready to go home. Like I said, I am just relaying what I have heard many ex NFL players have said from personal experience every year at this time. They themselves have been mentally checked out because they are packed up and just waiting for the game to get over. It makes sense to me.

I am not saying that non contenders never win because it does happen but it seems more people are more concerned with this game than the Giants game which I don't get.

I am usually critical of the Panthers but I am a firm believer in the psychological edge in games (it's the gambler in me) and I just don't see the Saints having that edge in this one. That combined with the Panthers having more talent should equal a win in my mind is all I was pointing out. Just hope they don't come out flat after expending so much energy last week in a physical game.

Cheers