8-8 in Super Bowl?

[Erik W.]

I could be described as a casual Rams fan. The Broncos are still "my team" and will be forever, but I don't think I'd ever root against the Rams unless they're playing Denver. This comes from me having spent the first years of my life in Denver, then the next 20 near St Louis. (Which is why I'm a Cardinals fan and not Rockies... the Rockies didn't exist until I had already left Denver.) Anyway, now you know my personal sports history and I can continue...

I was amused when St Louis won yesterday because 8-8 teams shouldn't do that in the playoffs. But this morning as I was out in the cold smoking, I realized that this team is dangerous enough, and the NFC is weak enough, that the Rams could conceivably end up in the Super Bowl with a .500 record.

I know it's still very early, but does anyone think it's possible?

[FootballFan13]

If an 8-8 team makes the playoff, thats rediculous

[CMH]

It's very possible. The NFC is, as you said, very weak. The Rams have a disadvantage in that they'll end up playing in Philly or Atlanta next week. It'll be cold and outside. But, the Eagles do have a weak secondary, despite how they did this year, and Atlanta has too many question marks on offense to keep up with the Rams offense.

Anything is possible especially when you're talking about a dangerous offensive team.

I recently heard someone say that if there's a yearr an offensive team could win a championship then it is this year. He was talking about the Colts. But, looking at every team this could also be the same for the Rams. Parity has hit its highest peak this season, in my opinion, and even teams like the Patriots and Steelers aren't as strong as their records indicate when compared to past seasons and past competition.

[akw4572]

I think St. Louis would actually have an advantage going to Atlanta next week because it's a dome.

[streetballer67]

I think Atlanta takes the NFC, I don't think Philly has coinfidence in themselves right now and they lose in the divisional round, unless they play Minnesota.

[Spielman]

Originally Posted by Azamien

I could be described as a casual Rams fan. The Broncos are still "my team" and will be forever, but I don't think I'd ever root against the Rams unless they're playing Denver. This comes from me having spent the first years of my life in Denver, then the next 20 near St Louis. (Which is why I'm a Cardinals fan and not Rockies... the Rockies didn't exist until I had already left Denver.) Anyway, now you know my personal sports history and I can continue...

I was amused when St Louis won yesterday because 8-8 teams shouldn't do that in the playoffs. But this morning as I was out in the cold smoking, I realized that this team is dangerous enough, and the NFC is weak enough, that the Rams could conceivably end up in the Super Bowl with a .500 record.

I know it's still very early, but does anyone think it's possible?

Hardcore Rams fan here.

It's entirely possible that this Rams team, looking at their whole season, is the worst team ever to make the playoffs, (in a non-strike year, anyway) and the worst team ever to win a playoff game. The computer metrics I've seen consistently rated the Rams at the very bottom through most of the season, and though they got a bump from the screwy win against the ineffective Eagles backups two weeks ago, still rated them far lower than you'd expect an 8-8 team to be placed.

I think that's probably an accurate measure of their play. They went 5-1 against the NFC West, the worst division in football, and only 3-7 against the rest of the league, including the win in the exhibition game against the Eagles. They're a bad team, and they've had a bad season. The playoff win
came against a team which ought to have an asterisk placed next to their division championship, since their competition was the lousy Rams, the pathetic Cardinals, and the 49ers, who would be lucky to beat an SEC squad.

But. (There's always a but.)

All this comes with an enormous caveat. The Rams have sucked most of the season, but in the last two games, they've played well. Quite well. The Jets needed a win coming into their game at the end of the season, and the Rams beat 'em, with a good gameplan, and pretty solid play. The Seahawks had no competition, and losses to the Rams aside, aren't a bad team. The Rams played well again, took advantage of their matchup advantages, and had a good plan again. The offensive line, which has been horrifyingly awful the whole season, is giving Bulger time, and hitting some folks in the running game. The defense, which has been incapable of causing turnovers all year, is suddenly making breaks on the ball and making big plays. They're doing well right now, and nobody in the NFC is any great shakes.

Could they win it? They're certainly capable of beating any NFC team. They're not LIKELY to beat the Eagles or the Falcons, but there's a solid chance of it happening against either of them. The win over the Eagles doesn't mean squat, of course, but they actually match up fairly well against Philadelphia, IMO. They got pounded by Atlanta early in the season, but so much has changed since then, and the defense is playing so much better, that there could be a shock in store there as well.

In 1979, a 9-7 Rams team, coming off a decade of great teams that somehow never managed to reach the Super Bowl, somehow put together a postseason run to make it to the big dance, and put up a decent fight against the Steel Curtain squad. This could be a repeat.

The X-Factor is, of course, Mike Martz. When he puts together a smart gameplan, the Rams can beat anyone. Trouble is, he's just as likely to do something crazy as he is to do something brilliant. Which probably gives an 8-8 team a better shot in the playoffs than a slow-and-steady plodder would.

My predicition is that they'll lose next week, but I'll be rooting hard, and a win over either opponent wouldn't shock me.

-Spielman

[Delgadodawg]

Originally Posted by Azamien

I could be described as a casual Rams fan. The Broncos are still "my team" and will be forever, but I don't think I'd ever root against the Rams unless they're playing Denver. This comes from me having spent the first years of my life in Denver, then the next 20 near St Louis. (Which is why I'm a Cardinals fan and not Rockies... the Rockies didn't exist until I had already left Denver.) Anyway, now you know my personal sports history and I can continue...

I was amused when St Louis won yesterday because 8-8 teams shouldn't do that in the playoffs. But this morning as I was out in the cold smoking, I realized that this team is dangerous enough, and the NFC is weak enough, that the Rams could conceivably end up in the Super Bowl with a .500 record.

I know it's still very early, but does anyone think it's possible?

It is very possible, because of the NFC and the high powered Ram offense.

However, they were lucky to make it by an inconsistent 9-7 Seattle team so I would still be very surprised if they made it. If the Seahawk recievers knew how to catch the Rams almost definitely wouldn't have advanced.

[Dagrims]

They'll be 11-8 if they make it to the Super Bowl. The NFL likes to add playoff wins to total records during the playoffs.

[rogmax11]

Not.Gonna.Happen.

[Long_Long_Name]

What if the Rams and Vikings win next week?

[GeoWar]

And we YELL for a playoff in college football ?


.

[Dargone]

What if, and I realize it's highly unlikely, one of these 8-8 teames gets to or even wins the superbowl. Very bad for the game or a great show of parity in football.

[Anachronism]

I dunno... there has been what, 2 good superbowls in the past 10 years? So would an 8-8 team making it change much? Probably not....

Who watches the superbowl for the game anyway... it's an over glorified half-time show surrounded by new and expensive (and sometimes funny) commericals. The football stuff just gets in the way.

[Dargone]

Good point...

[jaxmagicman]

Originally Posted by Dagrims

They'll be 11-8 if they make it to the Super Bowl. The NFL likes to add playoff wins to total records during the playoffs.

I was gonna say the same thing.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by Anachronism

I dunno... there has been what, 2 good superbowls in the past 10 years? So would an 8-8 team making it change much? Probably not....

Who watches the superbowl for the game anyway... it's an over glorified half-time show surrounded by new and expensive (and sometimes funny) commericals. The football stuff just gets in the way.

Any rumors on any potentially exciting commercials? Indeed most Super Bowl parties these days are about the commercials.

[CMH]

Originally Posted by akw4572

I think St. Louis would actually have an advantage going to Atlanta next week because it's a dome.

Oh, yea. Forgot that Atlanta played in a dome. Good point.

[Anachronism]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Any rumors on any potentially exciting commercials? Indeed most Super Bowl parties these days are about the commercials.

Only one I've heard is that apparently Fox has dropped one cold commerical in which Mickey Rooney bares his butt. He walks out of a bathroom and his towel drops.

I guess that gal's bare butt is good for Fox... but an aging 80 year old's isn't

[JDOldSchool]

Originally Posted by YankeePride

even teams like the Patriots and Steelers aren't as strong as their records indicate when compared to past seasons and past competition.

The Patriots are BETTER than they were last year, and that's including the fact that their two starting cornerbacks are on IR.

[JDOldSchool]

Originally Posted by akw4572

I think St. Louis would actually have an advantage going to Atlanta next week because it's a dome.

And Atlanta is a bad team wrapped in hype and a very weak division. The two decent teams they beat during the season, San Diego and Denver, were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. If any team has been undeserving of a first-round bye, it's these Falcons.