Sorry guys, I promised this on Friday. Yesterday I came home from work, took a pill and laid on the couch all night. I feel much better today. Now we get to see who moves on to the finals. For those that didn’t read the early rounds blog, here are the particulars. I use a simulator at whatifsports.com. I only simulate each game once. This has caused there to be a few upsets. Don’t get mad at me. I’m not trying to decide who the greatest Colt or Raven team is. That is best left to bar arguments. I though this would be a fun thing to do before the season starts. I seeded all 13 Ravens and 31 Colt teams before the tourney. The one advantage the higher seed gets is home field advantage until the final. So here goes………………….
#2 2008 Ravens vs. #13 1996 Ravens
1996 Ravens 0 0 0 0 = 0
2008 Ravens 14 14 0 10 = 38
Leading Passers
08 Joe Flacco 14-19 213yds 3TD 1 INT
96 Vinny Testaverde 12-29 108yds 0TD 2 INT
Leading Rushers
08 Le’Ron McClain 20 car 59 yds
96 Bam Morris 11 car 30 yds
Leading Receivers
08 Derrick Mason (MVP) 6 catch 107 yds 2 TD
96 Brian Kinchen 3 catch 38 yds
Defensive leader
08 Ray Lewis 6 tackles 1 INT
96 Antonio Langham 1 INT
The 1996 team came into the semis off a shocking upset over the 2001 team, but they proved no match for last years squad. They were held to 147 yards of total offense by the stingy ’08 defense. The 2008 Ravens roared out to an early lead on 1st quarter TD’s by Demetrius Williams and Ray Rice. They were up 28-0 at the half and cruised in the second half. A 3 yard Flacco to Mason pass and a 34 yard Stover FG closed out the scoring in the 38-0 demolition.
#3 2006 Ravens vs. #6 2004 Ravens
2004 Ravens 0 10 0 0 = 10
2006 Ravens 0 3 3 9 = 15
Leading Passers
06 Steve McNair 14-30 177 yds
04 Kyle Boller 6-15 45 yds
Leading Rushers
06 Jamal Lewis 21 car 32 yds
04 Jamal Lewis 18 car 77 yds
Leading Receivers
06 Derrick Mason 5 catch 59 yds
04 Kevin Johnson 2 catch 20 yds
Defensive Leaders
06 Adalius Thomas 7 tackles 1 sack
04 Ed Reed 7 tackles 1 sack
The MVP of the game was 2006 Matt Stover. He connected on FG’s of 27,41,37,49, and 50 to account for all 15 points for the 2006 team. As a matter of fact the only TD in this defensive struggle was a 70 yard punt return in the second quarter that gave 2004 a 10-3 halftime lead. The 2006 defense then rattled Kyle Boller in the second half and rode the foot of Stover into a spot in the finals.
#1 1958 Colts vs. #19 1980 Colts
1980 Colts 3 3 0 0 = 6
1958 Colts 0 0 14 3 = 17
Leading Passers
58 Johnny Unitas 12-20 119 yds
80 Bert Jones 13-28 125 yds 3 INT
Leading Rushers
58 Alan Ameche (MVP) 16 car 96 yds 1 TD
80 Curtis Dickey 17 car 60 yds
Leading Receivers
58 Raymond Berry 7 catch 62 yds
80 Roger Carr 5 catch 68 yds
Defensive Leaders
58 Carl Taseff 2 INT’s
80 Joe Ehrmann 7 tackles 1 sack
Two Steve Mike Mayer FG’s put 1980 up 6-0 at the half, as Unitas and company were stymied. The picture changed in the second half, partially due to 2 Bert Jones interceptions. As for the 1958 NFL champs, they got a 10 yd TD run from Alan Ameche and a 15 yd TD run from LG Dupre in the third to take hold of the game. They added a Steve Myrha 37 yd FG in the 4th for the final score.
# 8 1965 Colts vs # 10 1975 Colts
1975 Colts 0 0 0 21 = 21
1965 Colts 14 0 10 0 = 24
Leading Passers
65 Johnny Unitas (MVP) 17-23 249 yds 2 TD
75 Bert Jones 16-24 228 yds 2 TD
Leading Rushers
65 Tony Lorick 4 car 62 yds
75 Lydell Mitchell 19 car 68 yds
Leading Receivers
65 Jimmy Orr 4 catch 105 yds 1 TD
75 Roger Carr 2 catch 60 yds
Defensive Leaders
65 Dennis Gaubatz 5 solo tackles
75 Mike Curtis 6 tackles 2 sacks
This matchup between two playoff teams that lost to the eventual NFL champ turned out to be very exciting. It didn’t see that way early as 1965 built up a 14-0 lead. Unitas was on fire early as he hit Jimmy Orr for a 60 yd TD and Tony Lorick turned a screen play into a 41 yd TD in the first quarter. Lou Michaels booted through a FG and Lenny Moore had a 14 yd TD run in the third to push it out to what seemed like an insurmountable 24-0 lead at the start of the 4th quarter. But then Bert Jones and crew roared back. First Jones hit Lydell Mitchell in the end zone with 10:53 left to get on the board. After a 3 and out, Jones drove the 1975 team 82 yards in 5 plays culminating in an 8 yd TD catch by Glenn Doughty. After yet another 3 and out the ’75 squad moved the ball with ease and got within 3 after another Doughty touchdown with 2 minutes to go. 1965 recovered the onside kick but were unable to move the football again. 1975 Colts had one last shot, but on their second play from scrimmage; with 1:12 seconds left in the game, Lydell Mitchell coughed up the ball on a pass in the flat. With no TO’s left, they could only watch Unitas take a knee and send 1965 to the finals.
RAVENS FINAL
2008 Ravens ( 11-5) vs 2006 Ravens (13-3)
The 2008 AFC runner-ups take on the 2006 team that rolled to the AFC North title but lost to Indy in the divisional round.
1958 Colts (9-3) vs. 1965 Colts (10-3-1)
The 1958 team that got hot at the right time and won “Greatest Game Ever Played” will take on a 1965 team that boasts many of the same players, but unfortunately lost to 65 Packers in the Western division championship game.
Finals results will be posted on Tuesday.
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