NFL Discussion Thread

[Terra Branford]

Yea, but they caught up to 19 pretty quick though, and that's good playing. Its just a shame they weren't trying or concentrating, for the first part of the game, or it would have been better and perhaps, won them the game.

 

[blakstang98]

The double standard being discussed is the fact that someone like myself, a Pats fan, was yammering about how one-sided the calls were in last weeks game, and how the wannabe Jets fans kept calling me a sore loser. "Jets fans" are now saying the same thing, hence the double standard. I don't recall the exact penalty breakdown, but it was probably like 10 to 1 for last weeks Pats game, which is unrealistic. And from what I saw, there were a lot of penalties early on both sides, nothing one-sided about it for tonights game.

This Jets loss puts a Pats fan like myself in a great position to mock, the way I was last week in the SB when my team lost. But I won't go that road because I'm better than that. I support neither team, and I was in a position to support either NFC team for the Super Bowl whoever won. So I say, go Packers.

 

[CassinoChips]

I don't recall the exact penalty breakdown, but it was probably like 10 to 1 for last weeks Pats game, which is unrealistic.

6 against the Pats. 3 against the Jets. Again, not a huge discrepancy.

Officials in the playoffs are only going to make the calls that are blatantly obvious, or that are absolute game-changers. Because otherwise they're "taking over the game" or "not letting them play" or whatever other horsecrap fans/coaches come up with.

 

[blakstang98]

The Pats and Steelers didn't play against each other, I was talking about the Pats and Jets.

A 7-point deficit could have easily been changed by 1 call. I recall a call against the Pats for pass intereference, that led to 7 points. And quite possibly 1 that wasn't called against Crumpler that may have led to 7 points. Borderline calls can lead to game changing effects. The Pats now have to soften up to avoid penalties while the Jets can continue to hit helmet to helmet without a penalty (and a fine).

Either way, the game's over and there's no getting it back. Same goes for the Jets.

 

[charliepanayi]

You're all missing the most important lesson of the Steelers v Jets game - don't go 24-0 down, least of all against the Steelers! The NFC game was a rather error-strewn one with fumbles, interceptions and penalties all over the place, the Packers offense did nothing really after the first one and a bit quarters, and they almost contrived to lose a game they should have killed off long before the end. But they've won five elimination games in a row, which has to count for something.

Steelers to win - er, maybe.

 

[CassinoChips]

The Pats and Steelers didn't play against each other, I was talking about the Pats and Jets.

No idea what you mean........... >.> .........

I recall a call against the Pats for pass intereference, that led to 7 points.

Was it the correct call? And the Jets still actually had to put the ball in the end zone after the flag.

And quite possibly 1 that wasn't called against Crumpler that may have led to 7 points.

The fact that you're saying "possibly" probably means it wasn't an obvious call. And really, as much as the pro game is skewed toward offenses these days, I wouldn't expect an OPI to be called.

Borderline calls can lead to game changing effects.

But in the end it's up to the players to ultimately create/erase those effects.

The Pats now have to soften up to avoid penalties while the Jets can continue to hit helmet to helmet without a penalty (and a fine).

New England was the 8th least penalized team in the NFL this year. NYJ was the 18th.

Either way, the game's over and there's no getting it back. Same goes for the Jets.

Truth.

 

[bearsfwd]

This Jets loss puts a Pats fan like myself in a great position to mock, the way I was last week in the SB when my team lost. But I won't go that road because I'm better than that. I support neither team, and I was in a position to support either NFC team for the Super Bowl whoever won. So I say, go Packers.

Except for the fact that I'm not going to mock. I'm bigger than that, and I know Jets fans would do the same if the Pats lost last night instead.

I will, however, say that Rex had it coming. Now I can watch anything leading up to the Super Bowl and not have to hear "oh Rex just said this".

I like you, after last week (when the Pats lost) automatically began pulling for whoever came out of the NFC...I was glad to see it was the Packers though. I just hope they have enough to beat the freaking Steelers. God I hate the Steelers.

 

[blakstang98]

New England was the 8th least penalized team in the NFL this year. NYJ was the 18th.

And the Pats were 1st in this game, when the Jets were 2nd. My point is proven.

But to bring the double standard arguement full circle, that is what happened this week. I will say that even though I personally complained about the officiating in the Pats-Jets game, nobody else really did in my neck of the woods. They simply said the Pats didn't play well and they lost. And though I agree the Pats didn't play well at all (from an offensive standpoint), they played well enough to win, at least, because the Jets didn't play that well against the Pats awful defense. But at the end of the day, it was a 1 touchdown loss and poor officiating could have been the reason. It's true, we'll never know if the officials really did cost them the game, but we can't deny it either. Refs/officials/umpires make mistakes as well, which in turn can ruin momentum (and football is the most momentum-based game that I know of). But basketball officials have proven to us that they can be swayed by the color of green. Maybe I'm a conspiracy theorist, but I've watched enough sports games in my life to know that it's a reality that we sports fans have to deal with.

 

[charliepanayi]

Yes, clearly the reason the Patriots lost that game was bribery.

 

[The Witch]

Like others have said. Like usual, the Jets(Sanchez, Greene, etc, etc) all started to get their asses in gear in the last Q. Which was just stupid on their part. But it's how they play. They need to get kicked around for a bit before they start kicking ass. And that's what happened. :/


The Jets might have lost, but in the last 2Qs of the game, the Jets outplayed the Steelers by a long shot. Did you see those epic throws and catches? The only reason the Jets lost, was because they waited too long. And that's really sad. I can bet if they had four to five minutes on the clock they would have scored a touchdown easily. By the time it was 19 - 21 they were pissed.

Maybe next year they'll get some more touchdowns in the first 2Qs.


And, I don't care what anyone says. During the third Q of the game, one of the Steelers guy stopped Sanchez's throw before he could make it. That's how the Steelers got to 24 in the first place. It was dirty that they didn't call it, and they know it. And if that was the only way the Steelers could win, then they can go be all they can be.

And, you know what. I'm giving Mark Sanchez some props here. He got hit the most by the Steelers and the guy went out and did the best I've seen. I'm proud of him. And even though they lost, how he played... I just don't get why people hate him. He's not bad.


Here's to hoping the Packers take the super bowl. I wanted an all green super bowl, but should have known that wouldn't have happened.

 

[Ilyena]

How is sacking the QB playing dirty? If you're talking about that play where they sacked him and he fumbled the ball, it was a fair play. His arm was not going forward when he was hit and he dropped the ball. That's not playing dirty; that was the Jets offensive line failing to protect the QB.

 

[The Witch]

I saw it.

 

[Ilyena]

You saw what? Him getting sacked? I saw it too. They replayed it like five times.

 

[The Witch]

There's no point in arguing. You say it wasn't dirty I say it was. It'd go like this for a few pages if we keep it up. And I'm not up for it.

I forgot to say this earlier;

Holmes' 45-yard touchdown after Sanchez threw him the ball was the best play of the game. It was so yummy. Now, I'm out of here till the Packers-Steelers game.

 

[Ilyena]

Yes, clearly sacking the QB is against the rules and completely and utterly dirty.

I think the best play of the game was when Ben Roethlisberger practically walked into the end zone.

And you're right, there's no point in arguing because the Jets lost fair and square. No amount of arguing is going to undo that.

 

[blakstang98]

Let me point out the double standard again. When Calvin Pace (a large linebacker) his Brady in his throwing motion, helmet to forward moving elbow, it was a clean sack. But its not when Sanchez gets it from Ike Taylor (a thin, speedy cornerback) from behind wrapping his arms around his chest? Some sacks hit a QB in a way that hurts, but that was a fairly painless sack with arm motion at the wrong time. Neither were illegal in any way.

 

[Oliver Queen]

I think the only issue with the Sanchez play was the "tuck rule" crap. I personally thought that the arm was going forward with the ball in it, but I am not the official that called it, so my vote is null. I also think the whole rule in general is completely stupid. If you don't have the ball when your arm is at the peak of the throw, it's not a throw, IMHO. But again, I'm not in charge, so my view/point/etc is null.

 

[Harlequin]

Surely the real talking point is how the fuck the Jets managed to go so far behind in the first 2Qs without any response. As a fan I wouldn't be crying over a bad call here or there I'd be wondering how a team of 'professionals' capitulated so badly in a championship game.

 

[The Witch]

^ It happens a lot in Football. I mean, the Patriots and the Ravens had it happen to them, too. I believe so did the Bears yesterday as well.

Football is a lot different than other sports like Basketball, soccer, and baseball.


Just cuz a team doesn't exactly get a leading touchdown in the first Q or even the second it doesn't mean they're a bad team.

 

[CassinoChips]

And the Pats were 1st in this game, when the Jets were 2nd. My point is proven.

Ok.

PENALTY on NYJ-52-D.Harris, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at NE 21. (New England went on to get a field goal on this drive.)

PENALTY on NYJ-78-W.Hunter, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NE 49 - No Play. (The Jets managed to fight off the men in stripes, and scored a TD on this drive.)

PENALTY on NE-38-S.Brown, Illegal Touch Kick, 5 yards, enforced at NE 34 - No Play. (Instead of starting at the 21, the Jets started at the 25. And ended up punting anyway.)

PENALTY on NE-36-J.Sanders, Defensive Pass Interference, 9 yards, enforced at NYJ 31 - No Play. (The Jets, despite the refs' best efforts, still punted on this drive.)

PENALTY on NE-70-L.Mankins, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at NE 48. (Happened at the end of the half, Pats were out of FG range anyway, Brady took a knee the next play.)

PENALTY on NE-72-M.Light, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NYJ 14 - No Play. (Pats went on to score a TD 2 plays later.)

PENALTY on NE-84-D.Branch, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NYJ 35 - No Play. (Pats got a first down the next play.)

PENALTY on NE-52-D.Fletcher, Encroachment, 5 yards, enforced at NE 25. (After the onside kick, I believe. Jets went on to score on the very next play.)

PENALTY on NYJ-23-S.Greene, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced between downs. (15 free yards for the Pats, and they went on to score that drive.)

So the Pats had 6 penalties. 4 of them were mental mistakes: False Starts, Illegal Touching, and an Encroachment. One was a DPI, which is a judgment call and was probably correct, and the other was the Roughness, which had no bearing on the game, really.

The Jets had a major facemask, an USC, and one mental mistake. So if you remove the mental mistakes, which you can't blame the officials for, it's 2 to 2. And of those penalties, the only team that scored during a drive in which those penalties were enforced in their favor, was the Patriots. Twice.

So the facts say that, if anything, the officials were in the Patriots' favor. But the reality is that the referees are neutral, are in nobody's favor, don't care who wins, and just call the damn game.

But basketball officials have proven to us that they can be swayed by the color of green.

Just like how if one engineer makes a miscalculation and a building collapses, they're all shoddy, lazy, incompetent morons, right? Or how if one lies about his criminal history on an application and has his license revoked, they're all felons, right?