I didn't discount it, he had a better than average performance against the niners, it certainly wasn't "great". In fact, if you look at the 50+ yard Jacoby Jones TD pass, it was the exact same pass Schaub threw against the Niners that got picked off....an underthrown pass to the exact same part of the field, the difference? The Niners didn't make the play due to blown coverage. He had a good performance, but let's not go crazy.
If you think a Superbowl performance of nearly 300 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT is anything but a great performance, then you're setting your sights entirely too high. Flacco was incredible the entire postseason last year, no doubt about it. He was dominant on the biggest stage in the biggest game.
Russell Wilson hasn't won a championship. As for Joe Flacco, he went 73/126 (58%; 9.1 YPA) ; 1,140 yards; 11 TDs/0 INTs; 117.2 QB rating in four (road) playoff games. You can rant up and down that he was/is an average QB (and you'd get no argument from me) - but to describe his postseason performance as passive or coat-tail riding makes it appear that you've confused being obstinate for having insight. Which playoff games do they win with an average QB? Keep in mind, while the defense was very good in two of their four games, they gave up 66 in the other two.
Average Joe threw 11 TDs and 0 INTs in 4 postseason games last year. He had a 100+ QBRating in each of the 4 games and averaged a rating of 117, which is not just great, but incredible - maybe the best ever for a Superbowl run. They don't make or win a Superbowl without that performance. Russell Wilson has a 100+ QB Rating for the season, plus his 500+ rushing yards. They likely don't even make the postseason without him, let alone the Superbowl. Try again.
LOL the reading comprehension skills around here are really lacking. Let's try this again, Last year, Average Joe. Potentially this year with Russel Wilson. And his post-season run should have ended after 2 games, that's my point. To refresh your memory you said In many ways, he rode all three at times during that palyoff run. Luck got the Ravens past the Broncos, defense got them past the Pats, Special teams, luck, and defense all had their hands in the SB win.
Joe Flacco played out of his mind last yr. If anything the team rode his performance. i'm not the biggest Flacco fan, but you can't deny he absolutely balled out in the playoffs last year. Wilson hasn't played as well but he's played well enough. He's made the plays when he's had to. I think Bridgewater will be better than RW. My reasoning for getting Teddy is: 1. He's really good, imo best qb in the draft. Perfect pairing for BOB. 2. Good qbs are hard to come by. 3. It's easier to build a good D Line in the later rounds than it is to find a franchise qb. (see 08 NYG; no first rounders on that d line) 4. Takes far more skill to play qb than any other position. We need a qb and we have a chance to take the best available.
The argument seems to be Teddy (potential Franchise QB) vs a dominant defense. That's simply not the case. One (potentially) great DE does not a great defense make. And if Clowney turns out to be a stud, how are we going to pay him and JJ Watt, while also having difference makers everywhere else on the defense?
Supposing an outcome doesn't do a lot to bolster an opinion, Bobbythegreat. I could just as easily rest on the idea Manning will invalidate your "defense first" perspective by winning Sunday. It's silly. Not as silly as you continually dismissing what the vast majority of people with an IQ over 3 agrees was a postseason for the ages from Flacco. But... silly, nonetheless. Luck? They scored 38 points against the Broncos - stop being so stubborn. My goodness. Yes, luck played a role; and the defense/special teams played well (which I've mentioned) - no one is arguing Flacco dragged an exceedingly terrible team to the championship. But this continual moving of the goal posts to try and keep a flaccid opinion afloat is ridiculous. They scored 24, 38, 28 and 35 points in the postseason - good defense or not - that's going to win a lot of games.
A lot of his "playing out of his mind was that he had a ton of luck, he'd throw pass after pass up for grabs and his guy would come down with it. The biggest difference from the playoffs last year to him this year is that his guys are no longer coming down with it when he throws passes up for grabs. As to your reasoning, 1. He very well could be the best day one QB in this draft, unfortunately IMO that just says that there aren't any top notch QB prospects in this draft. Drafting Sam Bradford does nothing to help you. 2. No question there, which is why it's often a better idea to build around a defense than hoping that you happen to chance into the next great QB. 3. We should be talking about this draft class. Odds are, there is no "franchise QB" in this class, there is a game changing defensive player though. 4. You are suggesting building around a QB, I'm not. The Seahawks and Niners didn't do that and they've won the NFC the last two years. I'm not even going to use my words here, I found this answer elsewhere and I think it explains pretty much what my feelings towards this draft are.
And the defense scored 7 of those points, and 7 of them came off of a hail mary pass where the defender mistimed the jump otherwise it's an easy interception. The 24 was against the Colts who incidentally had a defense that gave up an average of 24 points per game that season, the 38 included 7 by the defense, 7 on a hail mary pass, and 3 in OT so it wasn't exactly a phenomenal output, the 28 was the exact same the Texans scored against that same team the week before and got blown out....tell me again how that's awesome, and in the SB 13 of the 34 came from special teams
The fact that you don't realize that he is actually a "franchise QB" destroys whatever credibility you had left. Not every "franchise QB" is Peyton Manning.
You can nick pick about any super bowl victory. Joe Montana threw a ball right into a defenders chest that should have been an interception during the super bowl that had the drive that ended with Joe throwing a TD to Taylor. You can nick pick that Brees won his super bowl because they got lucky with an on side kick and Manning throwing a pick 6. There's always funny bounces of the ball. Luck plays a big part.
Andy Dalton is not a franchise qb... 1. Literally the weakest point on their offense, maybe team That's not a franchise qb, thats a game manager
I guess you have a different definition of "franchise QB" then and there are only a handful of them in the league and none of them available in the draft.
1. What makes you think Teddy going #1 equates to a weak draft class? How many years was Bradford given full reign of a pro style offense? You're acting like Teddy's a bum. The dude can play, he's shown that on the biggest stages he's been on. 2. Our defense doesn't need as much help as our offense. Despite the terrible season that was 2013, we still had a top 10 defense statistically. It won't take much to maintain a solid defense. 3. Odds are there is at least 1 franchise qb this year. Odds are also that the best qb will be in the first round. I believe that player to be TB. If Clowney couldn't make enough of an impact to get his team to at least a BCS game what makes you think he will have a bigger impact in the NFL? 4. The seahawks Defense is hardly made of first rounders. Maybe 3 starters were first rounders. More were UDFAs than first rounders. It appears we've already started building around a defense: Cush, Watt, KJax, Swearinger, Mercilus were all 2nd round or higher. We've been building our defense, it only makes sense to get the missing piece for our offense. Nothing I've seen from Teddy makes me think he wouldn't improve this team significantly and be well worth the 1st pick. Teammates play for him and he plays for his team. The respect is reciprocated. You don't get that from clowney.
Andy Dalton manages to mess up games. Yea, he's a game manager but he's a 2nd round pick. Don't know why they stuck with him for so long. And Lewis too.
Both should be gone. If it was me, I would have towed their cars after the San Diego game and ensure they didn't have access to the team facilities come Monday Dalton is an absolute mess, can't win with the level of talent he has on both sides of the ball Lewis, 1 playoff victory in the last 9-10 years yep both should be looking for new jobs
Because Teddy Bridgewater isn't a very good QB prospect. He's alright, but he's only being given consideration for the top pick because there isn't any top QB prospects in this draft Not true, in some ways it needs more help. It was one of the worst red zone defenses in the entire league and was one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL last year. Was there a "franchise QB" last year? Nope, and it's highly doubtful there is one this year. Because it won't be him by himself if he was drafted by the Texans, it would be him playing on a line with JJ Watt, if you throw everything at one of them, the other kills you. Yes, we've already started building around a defense, time to finish it off. Or we could finish that defense off rather than hoping and praying that Teddy really does walk on water like his fanatics believe. Nothing I've seen from Teddy makes me think he'll be any more than a decent NFL QB and a decent NFL QB means nothing if you don't have a phenomenal defense to pickup the slack. The important thing is that you get elite talent from Clowney, and you don't get that from Bridgewater.
