Your Footy/Football Sunday Open Thread (w/bonus mini NFC Championship preview!)

I’m not gonna lie, no matter the announcers of the game between Brady and Rodgers (and really, that’s pretty much everyone that’s playing) the amount of ball-washing that’s going to take place just turns me off. They’re both unlikeable folk and it’s merely a matter of degrees. Aw hell, it’ll probably be on in the background and I’ll probably be right here because I can’t quit you guys.

So I guess while we wait for that to unfold the soccer dudes can fill the void. A very quick peek at the tilts on offer tell me that Cola’s Fulham plays Burnley, that rockingdog’s Chelsea is at Luton and ManU and Liverpool are going to go at it. Perhaps others could tell us what they’re watching on ye olde telly or what’s being read or done. Otherwise… [shoulders slump]

TO THE GAME!

Bucs/Packers:

-A.B is out for this one but perhaps more importantly (for Tampa) Vita Vea is in. Who’s he? He’s a man mountain space-eater guy that plays nose tackle and clogs up the running game. His contribution to stopping the run game is not insignificant and he can also get after the qb. He’s missed the last thirteen games so I’m not sure how many snaps he’ll get.

-Yes, the Packers have played well but they have done so against the league’s easiest schedule. They’ve only beaten three teams that ended the season with a winning record. (I don’t recall them moving to the NFC East though, huh)

-Much has been made of the first game played between these two-the end result being Rodgers’ worst game of the year by far.

-How did the Bucs do it? They blitzed. And blitzed. They went balls-out 21 times and the Packers averaged 1.9 yards per play. Everyone knows what Aaron can do from a clean, unobstructed pocket so the Bucs got it all dirty and such.

Have at it.