Official rest of the playoffs thread

[run pMc]

The BS roughing call on 3rd down against the Chiefs was just as bad. It was the only time they got close to Brady.

I didn't like that call either. I really hope they fix all the rules with hitting the QB. It's caused a lot of confusion and changed the outcome of several games this year.

[pbmax]

I didn't like that call either. I really hope they fix all the rules with hitting the QB. It's caused a lot of confusion and changed the outcome of several games this year.

I don't know how you fix that unless you review it. From behind, the Head Ref thought he got hit in the facemask because of the blow itself and Brady flinching. Only looks like a terrible call from replay from the defenses point of view.

[Rutnstrut]

The BS roughing call on 3rd down against the Chiefs was just as bad. It was the only time they got close to Brady.

It was a terrible call and I'm a Patriots fan. But it was nowhere near as bad as the Saints no call.

[Bretsky]

I am going to keep saying it, all plays should be reviewable at all times. Its where this is headed and you could end it now by being sensible.

You can't review everything

Give the coaches 3 challenges/game and let them challenge 3 obvious referee f'ck ups and only overturn the obvious ones.

[QBME]

I think I speak for all NFL fans outside of the Boston area when I say - FUCK THE PATRIOTS!!!

I don’t know.. why all the Pat’s hate? A single PSI in a football? Recording a practice session 10 feet outside the “box”? Brady’s wife is hotter than anything you could ever get close to? Belichick is actually a football genius?

I grew up in Waukesha County. Graduated High School and College in Milwaukee. Long commutes but worth it.

Moved to Illinois for employment opportunity and have been here for 40 plus years – my sports heart and soul are in Wisconsin.

In the 1990’s Michael Jordon came to the Bull’s. New family, short on cash, went to see him and the Bulls every chance I could afford in spite of the fact I am a lifelong Bucks fan. Because I knew it was special. Something I can tell my grandkids about. I saw the man. Did not make me any less of a Bucks fan.

Now Brady and Belichick. Same gig. Same grandkids. I am witnessing greatness and am gratified for the opportunity.

Go Pack.

[pbmax]

You can't review everything

Give the coaches 3 challenges/game and let them challenge 3 obvious referee f'ck ups and only overturn the obvious ones.

They are more than halfway there. Scoring and turnover plays already get automatic reviews. Plus OT and 2MW.

I'd be OK with 3 challenge flags but you have to make all calls reviewable or it doesn't fix this.

And I would like to amend my contention about the best system:

Best to less best

1. Forget replay exists
2. Review everything at all times in NY

[bobblehead]

I am going to keep saying it, all plays should be reviewable at all times. Its where this is headed and you could end it now by being sensible.

Agreed. Personally I think the officials were so bad sunday that BOTH the wrong teams are in the Owl. 3 flags and you can throw them on holding and PI....especially PI because it flips fields. I guess any call makes sense, but I wouldn't challenge a 5 yard false start. Holding that was a horrible call that wipes out a 20 yard gain...maybe.

How about lining up offsides when the network wouldn't show us a straight line angle after Tom threw a pick. We got 73 angles on a muffled punt but zero on a simple one like lining up offsides.

[Freak Out]

It was a terrible call and I'm a Patriots fan. But it was nowhere near as bad as the Saints no call.

The Saints/Rams non call was far more obvious but the result was the same.

[pbmax]

Agreed. Personally I think the officials were so bad sunday that BOTH the wrong teams are in the Owl. 3 flags and you can throw them on holding and PI....especially PI because it flips fields. I guess any call makes sense, but I wouldn't challenge a 5 yard false start. Holding that was a horrible call that wipes out a 20 yard gain...maybe.

How about lining up offsides when the network wouldn't show us a straight line angle after Tom threw a pick. We got 73 angles on a muffled punt but zero on a simple one like lining up offsides.

Twitter had that one and said Brown (or the OT anyway) was way off the LOS to counter speed (as in illegal formation) and that threw Ford off and he lined up in the neutral zone much to the dismay of the Chiefs, Klingons and the Organians.

[call_me_ishmael]

I don’t know.. why all the Pat’s hate? A single PSI in a football? Recording a practice session 10 feet outside the “box”? Brady’s wife is hotter than anything you could ever get close to? Belichick is actually a football genius?

I grew up in Waukesha County. Graduated High School and College in Milwaukee. Long commutes but worth it.

Moved to Illinois for employment opportunity and have been here for 40 plus years – my sports heart and soul are in Wisconsin.

In the 1990’s Michael Jordon came to the Bull’s. New family, short on cash, went to see him and the Bulls every chance I could afford in spite of the fact I am a lifelong Bucks fan. Because I knew it was special. Something I can tell my grandkids about. I saw the man. Did not make me any less of a Bucks fan.

Now Brady and Belichick. Same gig. Same grandkids. I am witnessing greatness and am gratified for the opportunity.

Go Pack.

Great post and I 100% agree. How can you not root for the Pats? It is insane what they've accomplished in my adult-ish life.

[pbmax]

Do you crazed galoots root for the Yankees?

[pbmax]

On whether NFL overtime should give both teams a guaranteed possession:

Packer Report and a bunch of others: play some defense, huh?

Scott Kacsmar @FO_ScottKacsmar
Aaron Rodgers doesn't see the ball in 2014-15.
Matt Ryan doesn't see the ball in 2016.
Patrick Mahomes doesn't see the ball in 2018.

We really going to stick with this OT system for the playoffs? Who wins a coin toss?

Paige Murphy @paigeomurphy
Only offense matters now? Ok

Scott Kacsmar @FO_ScottKacsmar
Correlation between team win% and passing EPA is 0.7 since 2011.

[pbmax]

Hockey technically has sudden death in OT, but each team, in virtually all games, gets the puck during OT. Usually multiple times.

Basketball plays a set time with each team getting multiple possessions.

Baseball plays full innings with each team getting at bats in their own half inning.

Football used to have sudden death which made some sense in the low scoring age of football. But as offenses got better, rules changed and defenses fell behind, the first team with the ball usually won. Now I liked Sudden Death and still would prefer it to any system around (who needs 20-30 more minutes of Joe Buck?)

However, not knowing who gets the coin flip causes each side to be cautious and play for ties. This is bullsnot for two reasons: 1) conservative offensive football trying to drain clock to preserve a tie is boring, 2) counting on luck to win you a game is just dumb

So I would marry SD with no coin flip. You received the first half kick? Kicked off the second half off? Guess what, you are receiving the OT kickoff. With no coin flip, one team has a massive incentive to try to win the game outright. No one cares about deferring your choice to the second half.

One team desperately wanting to get to OT, one team desperately wanting to avoid it. And it doesn't fall along home/visitor or favorite/underdog lines.

Just do it.

[texaspackerbacker]

I don't see any reason to change things. I hate the college way that often degenerates into a war of attrition. Any fairness issue with the current way can be dismissed by the fact that any perceived benefit evens out over time from one team to the next. Any thought that defense goes out the window in overtime is just silly. Get a stop, and the whole thing flips around. The thing I don't like is cutting back from 15 minutes to 10. I wouldn't mind going back to straight sudden death, but nothing I've heard suggested or nothing I can think of would be better than the way it is right now.

[call_me_ishmael]

If they keep it the way it is now, I would propose a 10 minute "rest period" for players to recover and get themselves right before OT starts, similar to half-time.