Rat
Well-known member
However, I don't play for the team, so I can get as far ahead of myself as I like.
I've been thinking today about who I'd most/least want to play in the NFCCG. It's very difficult to see any team coming in and winning here, but the playoffs are sudden death, and whoever we play, it won't be an easy matchup. Home fans or not, the players and coaches will have to execute a great plan to pull out a win.
Here's who I would least like to see as our opponent in that game (assuming it happens), among teams who still have a chance to make some noise in the playoffs and likely be our sacrificial lamb:
10. Bears
They have a great offensive system. I respect Mark Trestman a lot, Jay Cutler should be healthy, and has the arm to do serious damage to any defense (although I have serious questions about his intangibles and toughness), their OL is less terrible than in recent years, they have a dynamic back in Matt Forte who can do everything well, and I am crazy jealous of the two big wideouts they have (Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey). They've also had our number in the playoffs in recent years, although this one wouldn't be at their house. However, as much as I like what they have going on offense, I have them ranked last among potential teams we could face because I have no respect at all for their defense. They do have a good amount of talent there, but as a unit, they have looked very un-Bears this season. Also, they just lost to the Vikings. The Vikings. I know divisional games are never easy (see our last game against the Rams), but it was still the Vikings.
9. Giants
Thanks to the horrible division they play in, they still have a shot, as small as it looks right now. I probably should rank them better on this list, because if they made the playoffs, that means they went on a run, and we've seen what they can do in the playoffs when they get hot at the end of the regular season. Also, if they did make the playoffs, it likely means they beat us in the regular season and have some idea of what to do when they play us again. Still, I currently live in their TV market, and have seen a lot of them. They don't look threatening at all right now. Eli is having an amazingly poor season, and nobody around him is helping any. I can't take them seriously right now.
8. Eagles
Heading in the right direction. Nick Foles has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, and he's got a lot around him. They have speed, they can run the ball, and they have a lot of quality targets in the passing game. However, I think they're at least a year away from being more than a one-and-done. The defense has been awful this year. Foles isn't keeping this up against our defense, and I don't see how they slow our offense down.
7. Cowboys
Tony Romo may be the most unfairly criticized player in the NFL. A team can certainly win it all with him under center, IMO. That being said, the defense is too vulnerable, and I don't trust their run game in the playoffs. DeMarco Murray is fragile and nothing special anyway, and nobody behind him is capable of taking enough pressure off Romo and the passing game.
6. Cardinals
One of the hotter teams in the league over the past month. The defense is stout, and good enough to keep the Cardinals in games where the bad Carson Palmer shows up. After looking washed up early in the year, we've seen more of the good Carson than the bad one. Michael Floyd has broken out big time, and Larry Fitzgerald had a historically incredible performance the last time the Cards were relevant. Andre Ellington is a speedy X-factor who can bust out an 80-yard run at any time. However, the OL is still terrible, and aside from Ellington occasionally breaking free, they don't run the ball well. Rashard Mendenhall shouldn't be starting for anyone.
5. Saints
I should probably rank them better than this, but it's hard to after the way they were completely dominated here last night. Still though, Drew Brees is Drew Brees, and he has shown over and over again why you can't count him out. If a few bounces go their way early last night, maybe it's a game into the fourth quarter. I'm reminded of a few years back when the Patriots destroyed the Jets 45-3 (or something close to that) late in the year, and then a few weeks later somehow lost to the Jets in the playoffs at home. The NFL is funny that way. Not to say that an NFCCG rematch agains the Saints would go any different than last night did, but hopefully our players are smart enough to not assume that it would. They're still a great team with a great coach, and a HOF quarterback.
4. Packers
They probably need to win out to have a shot at the playoffs (and even then might not), but I wouldn't put it past them if Rodgers is healthy. Eddie Lacy looks like the missing piece to their offense, which was already deadly. They're very dangerous at their best, but probably too injured to take especially seriously right now.
3. Lions
I think an argument could be made that the Lions are the most talented team in the NFL. If they're playing at their best, they're #1 on this list for me. Matthew Stafford is deadly when he has it going, Reggie Bush finally looks like the player he was supposed to be when he was selected with the second overall pick in the draft, Bush's backup, Joique Bell, is one of the best-kept secrets in the league (or as well kept as a player can be kept in the fantasy football era), and Calvin Johnson is hands-down the best offensive weapon in the NFL. Also, the Lions are not a team that is all offense. The run defense is elite, probably the best in the league. However, this team makes WAY too many mistakes, and I wouldn't trust them to not shot themselves in the foot repeatedly in Seattle. Also, their pass defense might be as bad as their run defense is amazing. Potentially dangerous matchup if it happens; not the kind of team we can start poorly against and expect to make a big comeback.
2. Panthers
The hottest team in the NFL over the past two months, the Panthers seem to have everything going for them right now. They're extremely well balanced, with an elite defense, and an offense that keeps showing they can get the job done. Cam Newton's passing skills are severely underrated. He's showing himself to be a complete quarterback, and one that deserves immense respect. At the same time though, he has yet to suit up for his first playoff game, and that pressure could be too much for him if he gets here. The Panthers run the ball OK, but lack targets in the passing game. I would call this the most likely matchup for us in the NFCCG.
1. Niners
It feels weird to put a team #1 who we absolutely obliterated the last two times they were up this way, but the Niners are getting hot and healthy at the right time. We're starting to see the team that won the NFC just last season. They would be a very worthy NFCCG opponent.
I've been thinking today about who I'd most/least want to play in the NFCCG. It's very difficult to see any team coming in and winning here, but the playoffs are sudden death, and whoever we play, it won't be an easy matchup. Home fans or not, the players and coaches will have to execute a great plan to pull out a win.
Here's who I would least like to see as our opponent in that game (assuming it happens), among teams who still have a chance to make some noise in the playoffs and likely be our sacrificial lamb:
10. Bears
They have a great offensive system. I respect Mark Trestman a lot, Jay Cutler should be healthy, and has the arm to do serious damage to any defense (although I have serious questions about his intangibles and toughness), their OL is less terrible than in recent years, they have a dynamic back in Matt Forte who can do everything well, and I am crazy jealous of the two big wideouts they have (Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey). They've also had our number in the playoffs in recent years, although this one wouldn't be at their house. However, as much as I like what they have going on offense, I have them ranked last among potential teams we could face because I have no respect at all for their defense. They do have a good amount of talent there, but as a unit, they have looked very un-Bears this season. Also, they just lost to the Vikings. The Vikings. I know divisional games are never easy (see our last game against the Rams), but it was still the Vikings.
9. Giants
Thanks to the horrible division they play in, they still have a shot, as small as it looks right now. I probably should rank them better on this list, because if they made the playoffs, that means they went on a run, and we've seen what they can do in the playoffs when they get hot at the end of the regular season. Also, if they did make the playoffs, it likely means they beat us in the regular season and have some idea of what to do when they play us again. Still, I currently live in their TV market, and have seen a lot of them. They don't look threatening at all right now. Eli is having an amazingly poor season, and nobody around him is helping any. I can't take them seriously right now.
8. Eagles
Heading in the right direction. Nick Foles has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, and he's got a lot around him. They have speed, they can run the ball, and they have a lot of quality targets in the passing game. However, I think they're at least a year away from being more than a one-and-done. The defense has been awful this year. Foles isn't keeping this up against our defense, and I don't see how they slow our offense down.
7. Cowboys
Tony Romo may be the most unfairly criticized player in the NFL. A team can certainly win it all with him under center, IMO. That being said, the defense is too vulnerable, and I don't trust their run game in the playoffs. DeMarco Murray is fragile and nothing special anyway, and nobody behind him is capable of taking enough pressure off Romo and the passing game.
6. Cardinals
One of the hotter teams in the league over the past month. The defense is stout, and good enough to keep the Cardinals in games where the bad Carson Palmer shows up. After looking washed up early in the year, we've seen more of the good Carson than the bad one. Michael Floyd has broken out big time, and Larry Fitzgerald had a historically incredible performance the last time the Cards were relevant. Andre Ellington is a speedy X-factor who can bust out an 80-yard run at any time. However, the OL is still terrible, and aside from Ellington occasionally breaking free, they don't run the ball well. Rashard Mendenhall shouldn't be starting for anyone.
5. Saints
I should probably rank them better than this, but it's hard to after the way they were completely dominated here last night. Still though, Drew Brees is Drew Brees, and he has shown over and over again why you can't count him out. If a few bounces go their way early last night, maybe it's a game into the fourth quarter. I'm reminded of a few years back when the Patriots destroyed the Jets 45-3 (or something close to that) late in the year, and then a few weeks later somehow lost to the Jets in the playoffs at home. The NFL is funny that way. Not to say that an NFCCG rematch agains the Saints would go any different than last night did, but hopefully our players are smart enough to not assume that it would. They're still a great team with a great coach, and a HOF quarterback.
4. Packers
They probably need to win out to have a shot at the playoffs (and even then might not), but I wouldn't put it past them if Rodgers is healthy. Eddie Lacy looks like the missing piece to their offense, which was already deadly. They're very dangerous at their best, but probably too injured to take especially seriously right now.
3. Lions
I think an argument could be made that the Lions are the most talented team in the NFL. If they're playing at their best, they're #1 on this list for me. Matthew Stafford is deadly when he has it going, Reggie Bush finally looks like the player he was supposed to be when he was selected with the second overall pick in the draft, Bush's backup, Joique Bell, is one of the best-kept secrets in the league (or as well kept as a player can be kept in the fantasy football era), and Calvin Johnson is hands-down the best offensive weapon in the NFL. Also, the Lions are not a team that is all offense. The run defense is elite, probably the best in the league. However, this team makes WAY too many mistakes, and I wouldn't trust them to not shot themselves in the foot repeatedly in Seattle. Also, their pass defense might be as bad as their run defense is amazing. Potentially dangerous matchup if it happens; not the kind of team we can start poorly against and expect to make a big comeback.
2. Panthers
The hottest team in the NFL over the past two months, the Panthers seem to have everything going for them right now. They're extremely well balanced, with an elite defense, and an offense that keeps showing they can get the job done. Cam Newton's passing skills are severely underrated. He's showing himself to be a complete quarterback, and one that deserves immense respect. At the same time though, he has yet to suit up for his first playoff game, and that pressure could be too much for him if he gets here. The Panthers run the ball OK, but lack targets in the passing game. I would call this the most likely matchup for us in the NFCCG.
1. Niners
It feels weird to put a team #1 who we absolutely obliterated the last two times they were up this way, but the Niners are getting hot and healthy at the right time. We're starting to see the team that won the NFC just last season. They would be a very worthy NFCCG opponent.