DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Steelers' Woodley: Pats, Bengals will 'lay down'

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PITTSBURGH (AP)
Linebacker LaMarr Woodley predicts the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals will "lay down'' for their virtually meaningless games Sunday because they don't want the Super Bowl champion Steelers to make the playoffs.

The Steelers (8-7) would reach the postseason for the fifth time in six seasons if they beat Miami, the Patriots defeat Houston, and the Bengals beat the New York Jets. There are other combinations that would get them in, but all include either a New England or Cincinnati victory.

Pittsburgh's problem: The Patriots (10-5) and Bengals (10-5) have little at stake other than which team will be seeded No. 3 in the AFC. With a wild-card playoff game awaiting both teams next week, New England and Cincinnati are expected to rest some starters to avoid possible injuries.

New England coach Bill Belichick hasn't revealed who will play. Woodley, last week's AFC defensive player of the week and a Pro Bowl alternate, thinks he knows already.

"All of them lay down,'' Woodley said Wednesday. "No one wants to see Pittsburgh in it. That's just how it is. Everybody knows we're a dangerous team once we get into the playoffs, no matter how we played the whole year. Once we get into the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers is a playoff team.''

The Steelers were No. 6-seeded in 2005, only to win three consecutive road playoff games and the Super Bowl. One of those road victories was in Cincinnati; now a Bengals loss to the Jets (8-7) could help keep Pittsburgh out.

"Cincinnati is probably going to go into New York and lay down for the Jets and not play them hard just because they're not going to want to see Pittsburgh in it,'' Woodley said.

Woodley emphasized the Steelers played their regulars during a season-ending 31-0 win over Cleveland last year, despite having nothing to gain other than staying sharp. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sustained a concussion but, after a bye week, returned for the playoffs.

"We definitely wouldn't lay down because it's a pride thing with us, going out there winning ballgames and shutting teams down,'' Woodley said.

Woodley was a lone voice among the Steelers' players, none of whom said they agreed with him. Safety Ryan Clark laughed off the notion Cincinnati doesn't want to play Pittsburgh again. The Steelers have lost five of their last seven.

"To say Cincinnati doesn't want to face us, that would kind of be a little dumb, being that they beat us twice this season,'' Clark said. "So I'm sure they have a lot of confidence if they do have to play us.''

The Steelers beat the Ravens twice in 2008, Clark pointed out, then won again a third time in the AFC championship game.

"I think when you say that (teams will lay down), it calls into question the character of the players on their team. And I think all those guys are character football players and competitors,'' Clark said. "Now if it were last year's (Steelers team), yeah, they probably wouldn't want to play us. But this year's team, I don't think strikes fear in anyone.''

Several players said the Steelers need to focus on beating the Dolphins (7-8) rather than worrying what the Patriots and Bengals do.

"They're a team you can't look past at all,'' right tackle Willie Colon said. ``They're going to have pride and they're going to be ready for us to get after them.''

Nose tackle Casey Hampton and running back Willie Parker will understand it if New England and Cincinnati rest their starters in what Parker called ``a game you don't need.''

"Coaches have to do what's best for their team,'' said Hampton, who laughed when told of Woodley's remarks. "Being healthy going into the playoffs, I think, is their main focus. If the game doesn't mean anything, why risk getting hurt?''

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/steelers-woodley-123009 />

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Frankly, I think Miami will whoop the Stoolers behinds and they won't need to worry about what the other teams will be doing.

Woodhead forgets that Miami is still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Every coach I ever had taught me to worry about the game in front of me.

The way the Piggsburgh Stoolers played this season the Cheatriots and the Bungholes would probably rather SEE them in the playoffs. "We are slouches during the season because we know we will win in the playoffs." Now, that's flat out brilliant Piggsburgh logic for you.

Unless Piggsburgh has the entire officiating squad in the NFL on their payroll now, it's hard to see how they will be able to affect the outcome of so many games.

Enjoy the playoffs from the comfort of your living room, Stoolers.

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Linebacker LaMarr Woodley predicts the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals will "lay down'' for their virtually meaningless games Sunday because they don't want the Super Bowl champion Steelers to make the playoffs.

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Linebacker LaMarr Woodley predicts the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals will "lay down'' for their virtually meaningless games Sunday because they don't want the Super Bowl champion Steelers to make the playoffs.

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What really stunk was we didn't even have to win in the final week. Nobody but Anderson (and the team) to blame for that one.

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Sounds like what happend to us in 07.. The Colts played Sergio at QB and lost. while doing it ugly. It prevented us from making the playoffs after going 10-6... Sergio's name was mud here for a long time after that game It was OUR fault for not beating Cinci.. It was bad DA that game for sure.

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The reason the Colts played Sorgie was because they didn't want to see the oh so dangerous Browns in the playoffs.

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The reason the Colts played Sorgie was because they didn't want to see the oh so dangerous Browns in the playoffs.

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Sounds crazy, but that's essentially what Woodley is saying.. What a baffoon......

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Not trying to be rude here, but why do you always change the thread title to your name?

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If you had Norton 360 Version 3.0 and had their Identity Safe feature activated, you'd understand why.

As I have explained before, time and time again, for some stupid reason, Norton thinks that the Subject bar is asking for my username as though I'm trying to log into this message board and Norton automatically fills it in with my username.

I could A.) Turn off Norton when I come here and pull up my password off of my thumb drive and log back on when I leave (that won't happen) B.) Put up with the incovenience of having to copy and paste the thread title into the Subject bar every time I post C.) ignore it and just have fun D.) Continue to explain to folks with issues why it happens.

C.) is the correct answer for me.

Sorry it bothers you so much. Just skip my posts or calm down. It's no big deal.

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What really stunk was we didn't even have to win in the final week. Nobody but Anderson (and the team) to blame for that one.

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Yes Anderson is to blame especially since he cost us the tie breaker with divisional record http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/standings?year=season_2007 but the Browns did need to win that game to have a chance.

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If I remember correctly if we were to win the Bengals game in Week 16 we would have clinched a playoff spot, however I could be quite incorrect...

In the end what it comes down to is we didn't seal the deal when we had the chance, and we therefore couldn't control our own destiny. No excuses. The teams that play winning football throughout the course of the season have every right to do as they wish going forward. That is their strategic reward for handling business in the regular season and locking up an appearance in the post season.

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I remember how angry I was when the Colts rolled over and gave the Titans a walk into the playoffs over the Browns. Took me awhile to realize that it was our own fault due to the loss to the Bengals, which should have never happened.

My entire point in even posting this thread was to point out the arrogance of Woodley. But, as some people who have replied stated, it could be reverse psychology.

Unfortunately, I do agree with Woodley's indignation only in so far as, I was taught by many good coaches that winning is every thing. Rolling over, to me, is tantamount to putting "the fix in".

The questions remain: are the teams who pull their starters doing so to rest key players and avoid injuries, or are they truly trying to determine their own destiny? Or both? Is it cheating or is it legitmate? Who is to judge?

It wasn't funny when it happened to us but considering it's now happening (or could be happening) to the Steelers...well...now that's funny.

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Sorry it bothers you so much. Just skip my posts or calm down. It's no big deal.

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Sorry it bothers you so much. Just skip my posts or calm down. It's no big deal.

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Sorry Dean, but it is annoying..

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I didn't even notice it.