NFL Playoffs

[naiwf]

No one respects Denver because they haven't won a playoff game since Elway left.

[Guest blueblood]

I guess the whole Palmer injury will go under the forever-expanding "what-if" category.

[Assy]

No one respects Denver because they haven't won a playoff game since Elway left.

[naiwf]

Just another reason for me to hate on the Steelers. Knowing the "luck" of the Bengals, Carson will never be a star player again, and just after he got Pennington money

From ESPN.com

CINCINNATI -- Carson Palmer's knee injury was "devastating and potentially career-ending," involving numerous ligament tears, a shredded ligament, damaged cartilage and a dislocated kneecap, his surgeon said Thursday.

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback tore ligaments in his left knee when he was hit by Pittsburgh's Kimo von Oelhoffen on his first pass during the Steelers' 31-17 playoff victory Sunday.

The team announced that he had torn the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments. The damage was much more extensive and severe, but Dr. Lonnie Paulos said surgery went well and Palmer could be back for the start of the season.

Palmer had surgery Tuesday in Houston. Doctors used grafts from other parts of his body and donated tissue to fix the damage during an operation that lasted more than two hours. Palmer headed back to California on Thursday to do his rehabilitation.

"It's not just like it was a torn ACL," Paulos said Thursday, in a phone interview from Houston. "It's a magnitude more difficult to recover from and repair. It can and has ended careers, without a doubt.

"However, I feel very comfortable with Carson as an athlete and the heart that he's got. In the end, that's the bottom line. I can see the look in his eye already. He's ready to get going," he said.

Paulos, an orthopedic surgeon who has worked with the U.S. Ski Team since 1983, replaced the anterior cruciate ligament, which runs through the middle of the knee and provides stability. He said the medial collateral ligament, which runs along the side of the knee, was damaged "real bad."

"On a scale of one to three, it was a four," he said. "It was off the chart. It was pretty badly damaged -- shredded is the better term."

The kneecap dislocated when Palmer was hit, damaging tissue around it. There was also some cartilage damage, he said.

Paulos was able to repair the knee without removing pieces of cartilage or soft tissue, a good sign.

"The things that were torn could be repaired," he said. "They were not torn beyond repair. So he's got all his parts in there, which is good. We're optimistic, actually."

If rehabilitation goes well, Palmer could be running in a couple months and might be able to play in the first regular-season game, Paulos said. The 2006 schedule hasn't been set.

Palmer has worn a protective brace on the left knee since he sprained it near the end of the 2004 season. The knee bowed inward on von Oelhoffen's hit even though Palmer was wearing the brace.

"The brace didn't function well in this environment and should have done better than it did, frankly," Paulos said.

The plan is for Palmer to wear more substantial braces on both knees when he returns.

"No brace is perfect," Paulos said. "No brace can prevent every injury, but they do help."

Paulos saw the replay of the injury and wasn't surprised at the extent of the damage it caused. Palmer has absolved von Oelhoffen, saying he didn't think the lineman was trying to hurt him. The lineman said he was trying to sack Palmer, not injure him. He wasn't penalized for the hit.

Palmer made the Pro Bowl in only his second season as a starter, throwing an NFL-leading 32 touchdown passes. The club extended his contract through the 2014 season.

Jon Kitna, who has been Palmer's backup and mentor the last two years, can become a free agent. Palmer's injury will force the Bengals to make sure they have another reliable quarterback on board.

[Guest Chaos Theory]

Pittsburgh vs. Chicago for the Superbowl. Write it down.

[EddieRuckus]

Cinci won't have to worry as much, seems like it was made more of a deal than it actually is.

From ESPN.Com

While Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer's knee injury was deemed severe, the initial reports of possible long-term effects were overstated, Palmer's surgeon, Dr. Lonnie Paulos, said in a statement released by the team Thursday.

"I believe and regret that media reports based on interviews with me have misinterpreted my view of Carson Palmer's knee injury. Though the injury was serious, the essential fact remains that his ACL and MCL have been repaired.

"I would consider this a typical ACL-MCL football injury. Comments attributed to me that the knee injury was 'devastating and potentially career ending' were meant to describe such injuries in general. I was accurately quoted by The Associated Press that my bottom line is optimism regarding Carson's prognosis. With a successful rehabilitation program, he has an excellent chance of being medically cleared for play at the start of the 2006 regular season."

Paulos, in the AP interview Thursday, said the damage was more severe and extensive.

"It's not just like it was a torn ACL," Paulos told the AP. "It's a magnitude more difficult to recover from and repair. It can and has ended careers, without a doubt."

Paulos, however, assures Bengals fans that Palmer will be ready for next season.

"He did great," Paulos told The Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's already rehabbing. He's a great athlete. He's a stud. He'll be back in a few months."

[IAceI]

Call me biased but 4-0 over Holmgren.

6-0 in White.

Won this season already.

I don't normally put too much stock into stats, unless they swing in our favour ¬_¬.

Will be a good match tomorrow, as long as we play well, I can be happy with that.

[Guest blueblood]

I want Seattle to win because I'm sick and tired of my friend who keeps saying that Washington is going to the Super Bowl. I want Shaun Alexander to smack Washington's defense in the face so I can smack my friend in the face and get my 20 bucks.

[matbar]

No one respects Denver because they haven't won a playoff game since Elway left.

Edited January 14, 2006 by matbar

[naiwf]

Dude, you were whining about Denver not getting respect and I told you why. Since Elway left this is Denver's record in the playoffs.

2004

AFC Wildcard Game: lost 24 - 49 at Indianapolis Colts

2003

AFC Wildcard Game: lost 10 - 41 at Indianapolis Colts

2000

AFC Wildcard Game: lost 3 - 21 at Baltimore Ravens

So basically, they got their asses handed to them three times losing by a combined score of 111 to 37. Chicago and Seattle both suck in recent postseasons, but no one is calling for them to get more respect. Meanwhile, Washington, Pittsburgh & Carolina all won playoff games JUST LAST WEEK. Finally, the Colts have beaten the shit out of your Broncos in each of the last two postseasons. Yeah.

[IAceI]

We apparently forgot our offence when we left for the playoffs.

[naiwf]

Seattle/Washington was the drizzling shits to watch. Glad the Skins are out though.

That was a bullshit pass interference call. If Denver goes on, and wins this game, I don't want to hear that they deserved that first TD or that that was even remotely close to being accurate.

[Clawson]

BRADY THROWS AN INT IN THE ENDZONE. BAH GAWD HE THREW AN INT IN THE ENDZONE.

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

[ACCBiggz]

Should have been a touchback on that one in my opinion... and naiwf is right on the money on the PI call. These officials are horirble.

[Mofoticon]

When Denver wins, it gives Indy an easy win next week, if they beat Pittsburgh, considering Denver is Indy's bitch when it comes to the postseason.

[naiwf]

If the Colts don't win the Super Bowl this year, I don't think Peyton will ever get a ring. The NFC team will be a lay up unless Carolina defies the odds and plays 3 more games like the one they did in the Meadowlands last weekend.

Maybe it's just because most of the teams I wanted to win (Giants, Bengals, Pats) have already lost but I haven't really been into any of these postseason games down the stretch. I don't expect Panthers/Bears to be any good and I think Indy might put a beatdown on the Steelers tomorrow.

[ACCBiggz]

When Denver wins, it gives Indy an easy win next week

Edited January 15, 2006 by ACCBiggz

[Clawson]

Who cares Biggzay? We don't have to hear the media fellating the Patriots every week and the genius of Tom Brady and Belicheck. Now hopefully Carolina and Pittsburgh win tomorrow and everything falls into place for a Panthers/Steelers Super Bowl.

[naiwf]

When Denver wins, it gives Indy an easy win next week

BULLSHIT.

Now, back to the present.

That PI call transformed this game. I am not saying the Patriots would have won or not, but you take away that HORRIBLE call, where Leili put his hand on the top of Samuel's shoulder and pulled back, Denver doesn't score, NE doesn't fumble the kickoff right after. A 10 point difference, and possible 17 point difference if NE went down and scored on that drive. It doesn't change just that drive, it changes the mindset, rhythm, play calling, and so forth. It is just a ridiculous call that changed the entire game in Dever's hands.

[oldskool]

When Denver wins, it gives Indy an easy win next week

BULLSHIT.

Now, back to the present.

That PI call transformed this game. I am not saying the Patriots would have won or not, but you take away that HORRIBLE call, where Leili put his hand on the top of Samuel's shoulder and pulled back, Denver doesn't score, NE doesn't fumble the kickoff right after. A 10 point difference, and possible 17 point difference if NE went down and scored on that drive. It doesn't change just that drive, it changes the mindset, rhythm, play calling, and so forth. It is just a ridiculous call that changed the entire game in Dever's hands.