Three "upstart" teams - Bucs, Texans, Packers - weren't supposed to be here, and this weekend they will be expected to politely move out of the way for the real contenders - Chiefs/Bills, Ravens, Niners, Lions - that have been annointed since the beginning of the season. Because they have more talent and better records. Makes sense.
Not so fast.
The upstarts didn't dominate, but they won most of their games in the last half: Packers 6-2, Bucs 5 - 1, Texans 3-1. They were not burying teams, but they were gaining confidence and learning how to win. They all destroyed the favored team in the WC round. Bucs 32 -9, Texans 45-14 and Packers 48-32 (not that close).
Are these upstarts a mirage? Or is the superiority of the favorites the mirage? I'm not so sure that the talent levels on those favorites at this point of the season are all that different once you get past a couple of the big name players. The upstarts don't have a McCaffrey or Lamar Jackson type of player. But if you went up and down the rosters I wonder if these young upstarts teams wouldn't match up pretty well with the more established ones.
The upstarts are going to make it interesting this weekend. I'm not making predictions, just a gut feeling there are some more surprises in store for us.
Criminal that we lost that game to Houston
Gb I wish we get to play again even though it’d ruin the “revenge” game tour
Lol.
I'd hardly refer to the Bucs as an "upstart".
"Overachiever" is more accurate.
OK dude. Thanks for the accuracy check. I can always depend on this board to have their handy dandy thesaurus at the ready. But you obviously missed my point which is that perhaps these teams aren't "overachieving" because perhaps the talent level is not that different when you get past those one or two stars. So we'll find out soon enough whether these three teams are contenders or pretenders. I'll say at least one of them will win. That's not a huge prediction, but I don't think it's going to be a simple matter of these "upstarts" bowing out to let the big boys through.Lol.
I'd hardly refer to the Bucs as an "upstart".
"Overachiever" is more accurate.
Criminal that we lost that game to Houston
Gb I wish we get to play again even though it’d ruin the “revenge” game tour
That home game would be something else. That would rival the USF v WVU game. I was in 7th grade and RAYJAY was shaking
Upstarts vs Overachievers
Some of you guys will debate and argue about most anything.
OK dude. Thanks for the accuracy check. I can always depend on this board to have their handy dandy thesaurus at the ready.
Sorry, Nancy.
I didn't need a thesaurus to point out the difference between a bicycle and a pickup truck.
One team has recently won a SB and been to the playoffs the past 4 years.
One team is starting, essentially, a 1st-year QB.
The other has a rookie QB and rookie HC.
well becomes the question of will all four home team favorites win in a round?
usually one exception, no?
Baltimore and SF took care of business.
most will admit these sunday games are closer to toss ups, with us being 6 point road dogs and KC/BUF more traditional toss up.
Most picking Chiefs for upset but let's see what we got cooking at 3
The Packers put up a fight. They controlled the game most of the time, but couldn't convert a key 4th down in the red zone and missed a late FG. A couple key plays were the difference. There was no time in that game where it seemed like the Packers were just lucky to be hanging in there with a better team. It was the Niners experience that got them through more than superior ability.
The Texans on the other hand were overmatched. They couldn't hang with the Ravens once the favored team got serious in the 2nd half.
Will the Bucs be the overmatched team? I don't think so. I think they have the talent on both sides to stay with the Lions. It's going to come down to whether the Bucs can stay disciplined and make the plays they do have the ability to make.
