Munich – The long-awaited championship games in the NFL are coming up this weekend (on Sunday from 8:45 p.m. live on ProSieben and in the live stream on ran.de). So it’s high time that moderator Max Zielke talks to the former German NFL star about the upcoming games.
On the #ranNFL playoff web show Champion Check, the former O-Liner shared his Divisional Round highlights and gave a glimpse into how Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers were feeling.
Sebastian Vollmer on…
…die Divisional Round: “It was the best football weekend in a long time. When you can see it from the outside, it was just great.”
…die Tampa Bay Buccaneers: “You saw Tom Brady. His lip bled, I knew then, now he’s turning it up again. But I don’t think they were too sure. When you have players like Tom Brady, you always have confidence . The Rams were clearly the better team in the end, it has to be said. The Buccaneers didn’t execute the blitz properly in the end, that was one of the reasons for the loss.”
… a possible end of Tom Brady’s career: “Of course it’s conceivable. He can’t blame himself. He brought the team back up in the last game. He’s almost 45 years old and has more rings than anyone else. He’s just covering up the family argument a bit “, that was also a reason for me at the time. Personally, I would like him to stop with a championship. Of course, every player wants that. But it’s just not realistic. At some point you have to allow the family to hear their opinion . It wouldn’t be fair for us to say he has to keep playing.”
…the rebuild at the Buccaneers: “You can’t cheat the Grim Reaper forever. At some point you have to pay for it. Keeping a championship team together is never easy, certainly not with so many elite players. You don’t feel like a rebuild at that age anymore, you want it every year to play for a title. Gronkowski has said he hasn’t played for the money in a while. I think it will play into Brady’s ability to continue.”
…the defeat of the Packers: “It showed how important the special teams can be. A blocked field goal decides the game, a blocked punt is never good either. If you have a good punter, you can also cover a lot of yards. In a game like this with too few people to block field goals, of course that’s not possible.”
…the performance of Aaron Rodgers: “The more important the game is, the more you lean on your superstars as a quarterback. You can train as much as you like, but in such situations you feel like you’re in the situations you know best. And when it’s Davante Adams is constantly being doubled, the strategy is easy to see through. But who else would he have thrown to on the other side?”
…about a possible Rodgers trade to San Francisco: “The 49ers didn’t draft Trey Lance without reason. With Jimmy Garoppolo they would have to give up a quarterback. Aaron Rodgers would of course be a huge upgrade, but I can’t imagine it. But who knows, the NFL is always known for crazy things .”
…about the Buffalo Bills: “I felt sorry for everyone. It was one of the best games I’ve ever seen. I really feel sorry for all the Bills players. I said they’re probably the best team in the AFC and now they’re unlucky to be eliminated. It will definitely be one of the best games of the next few years.”
…the overtime rule: “Tails never fails, so Josh Allen actually made the right decision. The winner of the coin toss wins nine out of ten games in the playoffs. Whether the rule is correct is debatable. But if you win the coin toss, it is a big advantage. It really hurts for the Bills. The rules are of course the same and everyone has an equal opportunity. We had exactly the same thing in 2018, you throw your arms up and the other goes home. As a fan, it’s a shame But what new rule should you introduce? In the playoffs, you could at least think about a rule change, that’s clear.”
…the chances of the Bengals: “You can’t expect to win a game in the playoffs with nine sacks allowed. That was also the case with the Bengals in the regular season, so it will be very difficult against the Chiefs. Of course, the sack itself hurts, but the pressure throughout the game is way worse. Eventually that affects the quarterback’s play as well. If they can give him better protection then Joe Burrow should deliver right. You can of course strengthen the offensive line with the tight end, but Of course, this also slows down the game as a whole.”
…about the game plan against the Chiefs: “You train in well-established groups throughout the week. You can’t expect your own offense to score more than 50 points every time. Your own defense must also deliver, you have to limit Mahomes in order to have a chance. That’s where it happens It depends on when you punt or when you take the risk. The coaches are already preparing for this so that a decision can be made quickly.”
… the mantra of the 49ers: “The us-against-the-world mentality can be really motivating. In the end you have to win four games and then you’re already the winner of everything. The 49ers got along really well there, just like the Philadelphia Eagles once did. “
…about Jimmy Garoppolo: “The team did everything they could not lose the game despite Jimmy Garoppolo. He had a few very risky throws. He really wants to win, which is why he’d rather risk the interception than a sack. But they’re still through, so it works somehow.”
…the home field advantage: “When you’re at home, that naturally boosts home defense. When I had to play at Arrowhead Stadium (the Chiefs’ stadium, ed. Red) I couldn’t hear my opponent right next to me anymore. That helps defense in general. A good home base makes it a lot easier for the team.”
…the interim collapse of the Rams: “The unexpected always shocks you. You’re mentally exhausted, like after a long day at work. That’s why such slumps can no longer be stopped. The Los Angeles Rams are still all in: If you give Matthew Stafford a couple of guns, then it works . All of a sudden it’s happening and when you have a chance of a trophy you don’t think about something like the salary cap.”
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