NFL

[blastula]

This has been one of my favorite seasons of concussionball. The safety rules changes likely did open up the passing game, but the defenses did catch up later in the year. It looked early like it would easily break the season points record, but ended up the second highest scoring season in modern era behind 2013. After the KC-LA record scoring explosion in week 12 and people were wondering if this is the new normal, the offenses came back down closer to earth.

There is no one obviously superior team right now, which is fun. I think any postseason team but Dallas and Philly can still plausibly win it all. (you're welcome for the reverse jinx.)

 

[steve_bank]

There were more than usual close competitive games this year.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Usually there are a couple teams to keep an eye on, but this year is much different. The Colts and Ravens bother me the most in the AFC as opponents to the New England Defensive Sieves.

 

[TSwizzle]

No need to worry about the Ravens now, put to the sword by an unconvincing Chargers and a hapless Ravens quarterback. Dear oh dear.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

When is a catch not a completion?

Good ole NFL and the complications caused by 100,000,000 rules. A pass, a catch, a fumble, a play blown dead by the referees, an incompletion.

The call might have technically been correct, but only because the referees were wrong.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Way too many quick whistles recently.

 

[Terrell]

What's messed up is that the ball is sitting there on the 3 and no one on either team bothers to pick it up, just in case. I think the 3 closest players were Eagles. If the ball is loose & you have any doubt as to whether or not it's a live ball, pick it up.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

What's messed up is that the ball is sitting there on the 3 and no one on either team bothers to pick it up, just in case. I think the 3 closest players were Eagles. If the ball is loose & you have any doubt as to whether or not it's a live ball, pick it up.

It was blown dead. Huge penalties involved playing against a player if the play is blown dead.

 

[blastula]

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39LdAJRamFs[/YOUTUBE]

No senor! That miss was excellent drama, from when he made it the first time after the timeout to tbe double doink and the collapsing Bears mascot, and the reactions on Nagy and Trubisky. And that it was the 6th time he's hit an upright this season. And it was slightly tipped.

Foles does it again, and Dallas won, so I clearly don't know what I'm talking about. I had rather the Rams play Dallas than Bears but now maybe not. Elliot will probably get 200 yards. Goff of late has as much fumbleitis as Lamar Jackson, and Gurley is injured, so not as optimistic as should be at 7 point favorites.

On paper, the divisional round looks very competitive all around. Mahomes vs. Luck could be start of many playoff meetings. Saints totally embarrassed Eagles 2 months ago, but can't see that happening this time.

Rivers finally gets a chance to avenge his loss to Brady in the 2007 conference final. That has to be the longest time between having same teams and quarterbacks getting a rematch. A win would be Rivers first against Brady all time in his 8th try.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

What's messed up is that the ball is sitting there on the 3 and no one on either team bothers to pick it up, just in case. I think the 3 closest players were Eagles. If the ball is loose & you have any doubt as to whether or not it's a live ball, pick it up.

It was blown dead. Huge penalties involved playing against a player if the play is blown dead.

But all they had to do was pick up the ball; it was just lying there. If opposing players go for a dead ball and make contact with each other, there's either no penalty or offsetting penalties.

 

[blastula]

What's messed up is that the ball is sitting there on the 3 and no one on either team bothers to pick it up, just in case. I think the 3 closest players were Eagles. If the ball is loose & you have any doubt as to whether or not it's a live ball, pick it up.

It might have been a race between Miller and Leblanc.

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSDEpPqbPj0[/YOUTUBE]

 

[TSwizzle]

Getting closer to the end and Maroon 5.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

LA v LA in the Super Bowl. Never before has such craziness happened. And knowing LA, all of a sudden people in LA would start giving a damn about football. People will rush out to buy their Raider and Jim Everett jerseys.

Until we get to the La La Super Bowl, the Chargers need to handle the Patriots in New England. In the last 18 years, New England is undefeated at home in January, when you exclude their losses. Philip Rivers is also like 37 years old, which is really really old. The weather is forecasted to be sunny and in the 20s, which will be difficult with such an old QB to play in.
Finally, the main reason teams lose to New England in New England is the ole Foxboro verses Foxborough trick. Which one is the stadium in? HAW! Duped again.

I've heard there are other teams playing still in the playoffs. Good luck to all of them, except the Eagles. They can rot in hell with their success in the clutch failure of a QB. Sure, he can win when it matters most, but tell me what is his pre-season record?

 

[TSwizzle]

I'd like to see the Chargers win but they were so unconvincing in their win over the Ravens I just don't see them doing it.

 

[Opoponax]

LA v LA in the Super Bowl. Never before has such craziness happened. And knowing LA, all of a sudden people in LA would start giving a damn about football. People will rush out to buy their Raider and Jim Everett jerseys.

People in L.A. like football, but because so many people in SoCal are originally from somewhere else, or have parents and grandparents that came from somewhere else, you have a lot of different fans of different teams. A friend of mine's parents came from Chicago. Therefore, Bears fans. I know someone whose grandparents came from New York: Giants fans. Etc.

Also, there's lots of things to do in SoCal, which is already an ungodly expensive place to live, so why shell out big money to see a horribly managed, underperforming team--and have the pleasure of sitting in fucking traffic for hours before and after the game. It's like going to work to watch a sports-disaster unfold, except you pay to watch it instead of getting paid.

Granted, the Rams are good, so that helps attendance. And the Chargers are good too, but they need to rebrand (change the name and colors). Nobody, but nobody in L.A. gives a flying fuck about the Chargers. They do have some decent support in the Inland Empire though. But either way, at both stadiums, you'll see huge numbers of opposing fans due to the immigrant nature of Angelinos.

I'll grant that the Rams are a legitimate home team in L.A., but the Raiders are the city's most natural home team. Even before they ever came to L.A. (and then back to Oakland), they were more popular than the Rams, and that's still true despite the move to Vegas. In neither L.A. or Oakland did you ever see large numbers of opposing fans. Hell, go to a Charger game in San Diego and you'd see about 70% Raider fans.

I've heard there are other teams playing still in the playoffs. Good luck to all of them, except the Eagles. They can rot in hell with their success in the clutch failure of a QB. Sure, he can win when it matters most, but tell me what is his pre-season record?

Foles reminds me of Rich Gannon, except Foles has won a Super Bowl. Moronic NFL fans don't think he's good enough to be a starter. They're probably right. He just does things like drive his team down the field for the winning touchdown in the waning minutes of the 4th quarter against the best defense in league, on the road, in a playoff game. Who cares that he led the Eagle to a Super Bowl win and was the Super Bowl MVP? That doesn't mean anything.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

There’s an old saying: “The backup QB is always the most popular guy in town.”

 

[Tharmas]

Don't think the Cowboys will do much against the Rams - Prescott does not do well against a real pass rush - but on the other hand so far they've managed to win despite all their offensive flaws.

 

[blastula]

Prescott did okay, it was Elliott who had a tough day. After just a few weeks ago when Chicago completely dominated Rams lines on both sides, I haven't been optimistic about their chances, but they were the dominators yesterday, most rushing yards Dallas has given up in a playoff. Next up, one of the teams they lost to already.

I've been following the Chargers since about 2000, and I can't remember another team getting tough, big time wins like they did this year, at Pittsburgh, behind in the 4th quarter and winning on the last play. Then at KC, coming from 14 down in the 4th, and going for 2 instead of a tie with seconds left. This is not the same old soft, finding a way to lose Chargers. They can take this game today.

 

[TSwizzle]

Chargers are getting destroyed. No chance they will win.

 

[blastula]

Well this is a different team, usually they're in the game till the end and find a stupid way to lose. They front loaded all the stupid this time. NE at KC should be entertaining.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Temperature went below 50, and the Chargers fell apart. What a dismal performance.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, that went a bit easier than I expected for the Patriots. Have no idea what to expect in Kansas City.

Saints beat the Eagles after the Saints remember how to play defense.

 

[TSwizzle]

Eagles Saints game was pretty good. I didn’t think the Eagles were going to close the deal. Saints looked confident throughout the game.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Forecast from way on out... for Sunday in Kansas City (the 6:30 PM game... yeah, the dome team in New Orleans plays the afternoon game, granted, only people in Kansas City are aware of what the weather is like during this time of year, so that might explain the oversight)...

Mostly sunny. Frigid. Highs around 18. Wind chill
readings 10 below to 15 below zero in the morning.

Temperature went below 50, and the Chargers fell apart. What a dismal performance.

Funny that Rivers still threw for 331 yds, had 3 TDs and just 1 INT. Granted, about 2/3's of that was when the Patriots weren't trying.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

Forecast from way on out... for Sunday in Kansas City (the 6:30 PM game... yeah, the dome team in New Orleans plays the afternoon game, granted, only people in Kansas City are aware of what the weather is like during this time of year, so that might explain the oversight)...

Mostly sunny. Frigid. Highs around 18. Wind chill
readings 10 below to 15 below zero in the morning.

Temperature went below 50, and the Chargers fell apart. What a dismal performance.

Funny that Rivers still threw for 331 yds, had 3 TDs and just 1 INT. Granted, about 2/3's of that was when the Patriots weren't trying.

Exactly. Aside from garbage time, he threw for maybe a buck and a quarter. They looked as unprepared on both sides of the ball as the Ravens did on offense the previous week, and the Ravens fired their OC. Chargers are a lousy playoff team.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Forecast from way on out... for Sunday in Kansas City (the 6:30 PM game... yeah, the dome team in New Orleans plays the afternoon game, granted, only people in Kansas City are aware of what the weather is like during this time of year, so that might explain the oversight)...

Mostly sunny. Frigid. Highs around 18. Wind chill
readings 10 below to 15 below zero in the morning.

Temperature went below 50, and the Chargers fell apart. What a dismal performance.

Funny that Rivers still threw for 331 yds, had 3 TDs and just 1 INT. Granted, about 2/3's of that was when the Patriots weren't trying.

Exactly. Aside from garbage time, he threw for maybe a buck and a quarter. They looked as unprepared on both sides of the ball as the Ravens did on offense the previous week, and the Ravens fired their OC. Chargers are a lousy playoff team.

I was laughing in disbelief during parts of the first half. After the initial drive, I remarked, if the Chargers can't stop the Patriots running game, this thing is over. Then the Chargers scored quickly and my Dad noted it'd be a shoot out and I said, but if the Chargers can't stop the Patriots running game, the Pats won't lose. The Patriots did everything they wanted on the field.

In general, it seems to be which system plays better against the other system on the field. And now I'm doing my best to ignore the outcome for the Kansas City game. What happened in New England was Belicheck out coached San Diego. The Charger defense kept on playing against a team that was playing 3rd and long, despite being manhandled, and the Patriots played very well on defense, obliterating the Chargers running game.

 

[TSwizzle]

Getting closer to the Maroon 5 halftime show !

I’m hoping the Rams go through and I am quietly confident they will squeak through after a thoroughly entertaining game.

I don’t have a preference as to who wins the other game. I think the Pats will probably win though. And get destroyed in the Super Bowl by the Rams.

 

[TSwizzle]

Rams squeak through !! Brilliant effort but a little bit lucky with one of the non calls.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Rams squeak through !! Brilliant effort but a little bit lucky with one of the non calls.

But what about the INT. Was the pass deflected or did the Rams player illegally knock down the Saints receiver?

 

[TSwizzle]

Open to interpretation I guess. Rules during playoffs can get a bit fuzzy.

 

[Elixir]

Rams squeak through !! Brilliant effort but a little bit lucky with one of the non calls.

But what about the INT. Was the pass deflected or did the Rams player illegally knock down the Saints receiver?

Looked to me like his arm was hit but not the ball... not much talk about it though.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I’d rather Belichek have a young QB to toy with and play the Rams, but the Saints were robbed in what I believe was the worst non-call I’ve ever seen.

 

[TSwizzle]

Dunno if I’d go so far as to say robbed. It was a bad non call but doesn’t mean to say it impact the outcome of the game.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Dunno if I’d go so far as to say robbed. It was a bad non call but doesn’t mean to say it impact the outcome of the game.

FG from 25 yds as time expires, yeah, that call took away a very easy shot at the game for NO.

Meanwhile, Andy Reid and offensive coordinator need to figure something out. One good offense play the entire half.

Mind you, I remember Manning making a wonderful comeback against New England at the RCA dome and went on to beat the Bears.

Only set back for New England is 14 pts isn’t the lead their dominance should have. KC isn’t DOA like the Chargers were at halftime, but they should have been.

 

[TSwizzle]

Into OT we go. Pats so good going up the field on their last drive.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Well, damn. That was an exciting end to the game.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I think there were a couple of bad calls that benefited both teams down the wire, so the outcome was fair. New England rarely makes it easy for their fans. Simply put, their inability to close it out in the First Half gave Kansas City an avenue back into the game. I know nothing about the Rams other than they play in Los Angeles and they may have a young QB.

The Patriots will have played in half of the Super Bowls since 2001. We are talking Montreal Canadiens and NY Yankees good ole day dynasty type records now. It is all gravy at this point (well, after the 3rd win one I suppose).

#wewanttheball

 

[Opoponax]

Tom Brady is The Bringer of Darkness for so many NFL fans. But since he brought darkness to Chiefs fans this time, I'm happy.

Now I hope the Rams beat the Patriots because 1) Tom Brady need not destroy anymore happiness than he already has, and 2) American sports fans hate L.A. teams because they seem to think that SoCal fans are fair weather. It would make me happy to see so many other sports fans unhappy.

When your team is the Raiders, hate-watching the playoffs is all you have.

 

[ronburgundy]

Dunno if I’d go so far as to say robbed. It was a bad non call but doesn’t mean to say it impact the outcome of the game.

Completely changed the outcome. Had the clear and obvious correct call been made, NO would have been able to run the clock down and kick a 20 yard chip shot with time expiring.

 

[TSwizzle]

Dunno if I’d go so far as to say robbed. It was a bad non call but doesn’t mean to say it impact the outcome of the game.

Completely changed the outcome. Had the clear and obvious correct call been made, NO would have been able to run the clock down and kick a 20 yard chip shot with time expiring.

Possibly. But anything could have happened, fumble, blocked kick etc. It was a shocking non call though.

 

[repoman]

When I was reading The Iliad (only part of it) there are all of these battles between men but the gods are tipping the scales all the time.

Sort of like the refs.

 

[ronburgundy]

Dunno if I’d go so far as to say robbed. It was a bad non call but doesn’t mean to say it impact the outcome of the game.

Completely changed the outcome. Had the clear and obvious correct call been made, NO would have been able to run the clock down and kick a 20 yard chip shot with time expiring.

Possibly. But anything could have happened, fumble, blocked kick etc. It was a shocking non call though.

In that situation, on the 10 yard line with the ability to run out the clock, the odds of a play resulting in a turnover are less than 1% and the odds of a blocked field goal from that distance are about the same. So, there was about 99% odds of a Saints win had the call been been. IOW, the non-call was by far the greatest determinant of the outcome.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Doctors offering free eye exams to NFL refs to prevent another ‘atrocity’ after Saints’ controversial loss

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Possibly. But anything could have happened, fumble, blocked kick etc. It was a shocking non call though.

In that situation, on the 10 yard line with the ability to run out the clock, the odds of a play resulting in a turnover are less than 1% and the odds of a blocked field goal from that distance are about the same. So, there was about 99% odds of a Saints win had the call been been. IOW, the non-call was by far the greatest determinant of the outcome.

Yeah, anything is possible, but NO was in an absolutely prime position to win the game.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Doctors offering free eye exams to NFL refs to prevent another ‘atrocity’ after Saints’ controversial loss

We need UHC and we need it now.

 

[barbos]

Doctors offering free eye exams to NFL refs to prevent another ‘atrocity’ after Saints’ controversial loss

We need UHC and we need it now.

I did not know you were NFL referee.

 

[TSwizzle]

In that situation, on the 10 yard line with the ability to run out the clock, the odds of a play resulting in a turnover are less than 1% and the odds of a blocked field goal from that distance are about the same. So, there was about 99% odds of a Saints win had the call been been. IOW, the non-call was by far the greatest determinant of the outcome.

Statistically that is true. But statistics don't matter because they didn't get the call and that's the end of it. However, in a high pressure game it is entirely feasible that any number of things could have happened where Saints did not score. Failed field goal attempts happen regularly (didn't Cosby miss 5 or six in a single game?) and quite a few extra point misses throughout the season, I seem to remember an extra point miss in the playoffs. Maybe Saints get called offside a couple of times to move the kick back ? Maybe the Rams let the Saints run it in for a touch down and then maybe the Rams return for a touchdown, who knows, plenty of things could have happened. It was an enjoyable game and the Rams are going to the Super Bowl.

 

[Terrell]

Chiefs: Hey Dee Ford; don't like up offsides. The interception that was overturned due to this likely wins the game.

Saints: Earlier in game face mask penalty missed that would have given the Rams first & goal on the 1 quit crying. Potential 4 points Rams didn't get. Potential 3 points you don't get due to the PI penalty non-call. Either way the points aren't guaranteed.

 

[blastula]

There were two bad pi non calls for the Rams, and that was money well spent. Fantastic, satisfying win, clutch performances from all facets. Their special teams have been strong for them, though they don't usually need them much, but they finally got the limelight. McVay pulled a Payton with that fake punt, which was an incredibly gutsy call both times - if it fails, the other team is already in field goal range, and the game could get out of reach. Very proud of Goff, he made some difficult passes in second half, and some perfect ones, he does belong at this level. He bailed out McVay for his bad decision to kick a field goal at the one. Worried about Gurley for next game - they're denying it but he's still injured.

This bad non call hopefully turns out just like the tuck rule bad call in the 2002 NE-OAK playoff that made Brady's first SB possible. Over the next 2 decades, I hope the nation comes to hate the Rams and Goff just as much as they hate NE now.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

America is Crisis!!!

America is slowly counting down the days as it unwillingly marches itself towards Super Bowl LIII, the largest number Super Bowl ever. On one hand, the once underdog Patriots, beloved by all in America except Oakland (and really, who cares what people in Oakland think), have become a much blighted team in the eyes of America caused both by overexposure of 9 Super Bowl appearances in 18 years, and scandals ranging from deflategate, film gate, and the kidnap and murder of Donavon McNabbs's familygate.

If it were just the Patriots, there would be hope for America, a shining beacon of hope of an opponent to cheer for. Last year, it was the adorable Nick Foles (a low confidence replacement to Philadelphia's paper mache starting QB Carson Wentz) who managed to help lift the Eagles against the bend until we break Patriots defense in the fourth quarter to give America what it needed most, the Patriots losing the Super Bowl.

Alas, this year, America is poked in the eye with the Patriots opponents being a team from Los Angeles, the city America loves to hate, especially in sports. So with two teams completely unsupportable by neutral football fans, America, nearly en masse, is, in dejected spirits, relegated to watching the Super Bowl "for the commercials".

And this ignores the pain and suffering in both New Orleans, a city betrayed by glaucoma, and even worse Atlanta, the host city to both this years Super Bowl and the NFL team who performed the greatest choke job in the history of one off sports Championship Games, leaving AC Milan, as part of an obscure reference, to ponder 'hey, we aren't the worst anymore'. Yeah... YNWA!

Be tough America! You survived the Great Depression, Disco, and WWII. You can endure this hardship that is Super Bowl LIII.