NFL Playoffs 2011-2012

[Mo Noyz]

The Giants were an inconsistent mess during the regular season, though.

I'm not buying the argument, but can see your points.

[Captain Hate]

The Niner defense is much better than the Giants defense and played better in that game.

What are you basing that on; I'm not necessarily doubting you as much as just asking a question. Vernon Davis's long td was kind of flukey compared to how everything else for SF shook out. I thought both Ds were outstanding and wasn't surprised that turnovers were the crucial difference.

[Mo Noyz]

I'm not sure you could argue the Niners D isn't better than the Giants. It is. Without exception. But, you could most certainly argue the Giants O is well beyond anything SF could muster at this point (not to take anything away from Smith and his excellent showing).

Unfortunately, this is the kind of mental masturbation we're left with after the season is over.

jon has made some excellent points, but at the end of the day I think we have to be honest and say that the balance the Giants brought to the playoffs simply was without equal. If Gordo wants to downplay the Giants D, that's fine. But, you have to assess the team as a whole.

NO, GB, and NE bought no D (though, bizarrely, NE's D did show when necessary). If Schaub had been healthy, the Texans would have been the only other team as balanced as the Giants.

You can bring the baddest ass D to the table and run it, as we saw the Ravens do in '00. Or the baddest ass O as the Rams once did. But history has shown that the most balanced teams are the ones that win it all. Look at this year. Badass O's: NE, GB, NO. Badass D's: Ravens, Texans, Niners.

[The G Man]

The Niner defense is much better than the Giants defense and played better in that game.

What are you basing that on; I'm not necessarily doubting you as much as just asking a question. Vernon Davis's long td was kind of flukey compared to how everything else for SF shook out. I thought both Ds were outstanding and wasn't surprised that turnovers were the crucial difference.

I thought the Giants' defense was good against SF but the SF defense, especially starting in the third quarter was awesome, going against a much better offense than did the Giants D. The SF linebackers are one of the best units in the league and played great in that game. The d-line totally overwhelmed the Giants after halftime.

Alex's Smith's great game against the Saints and improved season made for a great human interest story but does anybody disagree that he sucked against the GIants? I think he choked because on multiple occasions he had open receivers for brief windows but couldn't pull the trigger and fire the ball.

I thought the Giants D had one of its finest games in the Super Bowl, in large part due to a great game plan by Perry Fewell. He played a nickel defense with three safeties the entire game and had the safeties play very shallow, knowing that Branch, Welker, and Ocho Cinco provide zero flat-out vertical threat. NE has two 1's and two 2'sin the 2012 draft. I'll be shocked if they don't draft a speedy wide-out with at least one of those picks.