Line: Pittsburgh favored by 4 over Seattle (1 Viewer)

[Steelers4Life]

As for the Steelers, they started out playing very well and went through a period in the middle of the season where injuries (especially to Roethlisberger and Smith) slowed them down.

This was my point.

What, exactly? The team that Seattle will face this Sunday is healthy, and they've been very impressive when healthy all year long. Games they lost or struggled a little in with Maddox at QB or Trai Essex at LT don't mean much anymore.And I still fail to see what's so impressive about the season the Seahawks had when you consider who they beat, how they beat them, and where they beat them. They had a couple of blowout wins over terrible teams and had close games with less talented teams (2 losses) almost every time they went on the road.

I've been pretty vocal in that I respect what challenges the Steelers will have in beating Seattle, but I think some people are trying to pump up what Seattle has done this year a little more than it deserves.

I don't think anyone is pumping up the Seahawks. The national take is that the Steelers are going to win. More money is being placed on the Steelers which is moving the line up. We have heard the SOS argument for a month now and the hawks keep winning. Now it is the AFC is so much better than the NFC.I have great respect for the Steelers and they might well win but the Seahawks should not be dismissed.

I for one haven't dismissed them at all. They're a good team.And to be clear, I'm not saying their SOS makes them overrated. To me, I'm judging them on how they looked in road games against inferior competition (losing in Washington and Jacksonville, barely winning in St. Louis, San Francisco, and Tennessee, needing a late TD to beat Arizona by 14). Outside of Seattle, they're seemingly not the same team.

In terms of this thread and the line on the game, I think that plays into it a lot. It's not how many they won, it's who they beat, how they beat them, and where they beat them.

 

[Frenchy Fuqua]

I put this in the SB thread but I think this stat speaks to why the #6 seed from the AFC is favored over the #1 seed from the NFC.AFC playoff teams vs. the NFC in 2005: 20-4NFC playoff teams vs. the AFC in 2005: 12-12

 

[Marvelous]

I will elaborate on why I think Seattle will win.Most of the season, Seattle had a suspect defense. But near the end of the season, and through the playoffs, the defense is suddently playing spectacular. Seattle now has a dominant defense that no one is giving them credit for. They held Washington to 10 points. They held Carolina to 14 points. And somehow held Steve Smith, the league leader in receiving yards, to 33 yards receiving.I realize that Pittsburg's offense has become a lot more potent. But I don't think people realize how good the Seattle D is.

 

[Odogs]

I put this in the SB thread but I think this stat speaks to why the #6 seed from the AFC is favored over the #1 seed from the NFC.

AFC playoff teams vs. the NFC in 2005: 20-4

NFC playoff teams vs. the AFC in 2005: 12-12

I saw this in the other thread and I don't think anyone commented on it then. I believe the Steelers are the better team in a better conference and are on a roll. Of course they could lose, but I think they will win and there's a decent chance the game will turn out like their last three playoff games.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

I will elaborate on why I think Seattle will win.

Most of the season, Seattle had a suspect defense. But near the end of the season, and through the playoffs, the defense is suddently playing spectacular. Seattle now has a dominant defense that no one is giving them credit for. They held Washington to 10 points. They held Carolina to 14 points. And somehow held Steve Smith, the league leader in receiving yards, to 33 yards receiving.

I realize that Pittsburg's offense has become a lot more potent. But I don't think people realize how good the Seattle D is.

Pittsburgh's offense is far better than Washington's and significantly better than Carolina's (with the exception of Steve Smith). Seattle played against Carolina's 4th string RB most of the game. It is no wonder they could commit 2 and 3 guys to cover Steve Smith.

 

[Stillers Jr.]

I put this in the SB thread but I think this stat speaks to why the #6 seed from the AFC is favored over the #1 seed from the NFC.

AFC playoff teams vs. the NFC in 2005: 20-4

NFC playoff teams vs. the AFC in 2005: 12-12

Well now that's a horse of a different color.Good stuff!

I'm waiting for the NFC Spin patrol to come along and dazzle us with smoke and mirrors...

 

[Chaz McNulty]

Seattle's offense has been able to move the ball with ease against the 10th best defense and the 3rd best defense (yrds allowed per game).Despite losing the turnover battle 3-0 against Washington, Seattle still managed to beat them.I don't think Pittsburghs defense can stop them. This combined with Seattle's resurgent defense will give Seattle an easy victory.I see the score at 31 to 17 for Seattle. And that's flattering - late TD for Pittsburgh. Seattle's balanced attack will prevail.

 

[Chaz McNulty]

I will elaborate on why I think Seattle will win.

Most of the season, Seattle had a suspect defense.  But near the end of the season, and through the playoffs, the defense is suddently playing spectacular.  Seattle now has a dominant defense that no one is giving them credit for.  They held Washington to 10 points.  They held Carolina to 14 points.  And somehow held Steve Smith, the league leader in receiving yards, to 33 yards receiving.

I realize that Pittsburg's offense has become a lot more potent.  But I don't think people realize how good the Seattle D is.

Pittsburgh's offense is far better than Washington's and significantly better than Carolina's (with the exception of Steve Smith). Seattle played against Carolina's 4th string RB most of the game. It is no wonder they could commit 2 and 3 guys to cover Steve Smith.

???What stats are you using to show this Pittsburgh offensive juggernaut? Are they from 2005?

 

[The Jerk]

Pittsburgh's offense is far better than Washington's and significantly better than Carolina's (with the exception of Steve Smith). Seattle played against Carolina's 4th string RB most of the game. It is no wonder they could commit 2 and 3 guys to cover Steve Smith.

???What stats are you using to show this Pittsburgh offensive juggernaut? Are they from 2005?

I'm not concerned with IB's statement, but I can look at the numbers and see that the Steelers have been improving throughout the last 8 games of the season.Over 19 games, the Steelers have averaged 25.0 ppg

Over the past 8 games, the average is 29.0 ppg

Over the past 5 games, the average is 32.4 ppg

Compare this to the Seahawks:

Over 18 games, the Seahawks have averaged 28.1 ppg

Over the past 8 games, the average is 29.2 ppg

Over the past 5 games, the average is 25.4 ppg

(removing the GB game, the average over 4 games climbs to 27.5 ppg)

So... the Steelers offense may not be a juggernaut, but regardless of how you choose to name it, the Steelers offense has been more productive than the Seahawks offense over the past 5 games.

 

[footloose]

Take the points

 

[FunkyPlutos]

moronic gamblers are buying into the supremacy of the AFC lock, stock and barrel

This coming from an Iggle fan, right? What conference are they in? Conflict in interest maybe?

 

[FunkyPlutos]

I like the Seahawks in this one. The Steeler defense is nasty, but I just think that Hasselbeck is the wild card here. The guy is much better than people give him credit for and I think the Steelers will stop Alexander and make Hasselbeck beat them, and I feel he has the ability to do so.

 

[Godsbrother]

Seattle's offense has been able to move the ball with ease against the 10th best defense and the 3rd best defense (yrds allowed per game).

Despite losing the turnover battle 3-0 against Washington, Seattle still managed to beat them.

I don't think Pittsburghs defense can stop them. This combined with Seattle's resurgent defense will give Seattle an easy victory.

I see the score at 31 to 17 for Seattle. And that's flattering - late TD for Pittsburgh. Seattle's balanced attack will prevail.

So then you'll have no problem giving me the Steelers +10, right? If you really think the Seahawks are going to win by 2 touchdowns you would be a fool not to jump all over the Seahawks +4. Seriously, how much are you laying on the 'Hawks?

 

[Cookiemonster]

I put this in the SB thread but I think this stat speaks to why the #6 seed from the AFC is favored over the #1 seed from the NFC.

AFC playoff teams vs. the NFC in 2005: 20-4

NFC playoff teams vs. the AFC in 2005: 12-12

Additionaly, when NFC and AFC playoff teams met each other (I added in S.D. as general opinion said they were possibly better than most other playoff teams, and to add to the sample size) the AFC came out on top 7/10 times, outscoring the NFC 255 to 170. I did leave out the week 16 Sea vs. Indy game as well, since the game didn't reflect the teams @ full potential.If you want to exclude S.D., then make it 6/9 and 163-102.

 

[Idiot Boxer]

I will elaborate on why I think Seattle will win.

Most of the season, Seattle had a suspect defense.  But near the end of the season, and through the playoffs, the defense is suddently playing spectacular.  Seattle now has a dominant defense that no one is giving them credit for.  They held Washington to 10 points.  They held Carolina to 14 points.  And somehow held Steve Smith, the league leader in receiving yards, to 33 yards receiving.

I realize that Pittsburg's offense has become a lot more potent.  But I don't think people realize how good the Seattle D is.

Pittsburgh's offense is far better than Washington's and significantly better than Carolina's (with the exception of Steve Smith). Seattle played against Carolina's 4th string RB most of the game. It is no wonder they could commit 2 and 3 guys to cover Steve Smith.

???What stats are you using to show this Pittsburgh offensive juggernaut? Are they from 2005?

A quick look at scoring from this year shows Washington averaging 22.4 points a game, Pittsburgh 24.3, and Carolina 24.4That's for the whole year. I don't think you'd question that Pittsburgh's offense is working much better right now. If you discount the games with Maddox at the helm, Pittsburgh's numbers go up even more.

Add to that the fact that Carolina was playing most of the championship game with their 4th string RB and I think the differential is even greater.

Now, I've been on this board giving Seattle a lot of credit and essentially stating that this game is a 50/50 proposition, but you don't honestly think that the Washington and Carolina teams that Seattle faced in the playoffs are in anywhere near the same neighborhood as what Seattle will face in the Superbowl, do you?