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NFL Divisional Playoffs: 3 games and Brady


Lord Lyman

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22 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

 That it doesn't get called enough isn't really relevant here as far as I'm concerned. That should be called anytime it directly influences the play. Why would Harrison plant his foot if he's trying to get to Smith? Not sure how that enters into it.

Depends if it's what they consider a real hold or not. If it's not called often, it's likely something they don't focus their attention on and they likely do it for a reason.

Not sure what you're talking about in terms of Harrison's foot. If you watch the replay, his left foot comes down but instead of coming down on his actual cleat (i.e. he plants his foot and turns the corner), he comes down on his ankle which causes him to slip. When Fisher was guiding him away, Harrison had no feet under him because he misstepped and come down on the ground. It looks like Fisher took him down when he didn't. That's the point I'm making. I get why it was called, I just think it's a big call to make in that moment.

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1 minute ago, Joe Pesci said:

His resume is better than Joe Barry's, but then, so is mine. 

I am ignoring this and hoping it just goes away. 

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1 minute ago, Joe Pesci said:

Well the Redskins can't afford to drag their feet. They certainly have to foot the bill for a new DC here. Maybe it's time they get their feet wet. Feet.

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Just now, Maithanet said:

His resume is better than Joe Barry's, but then, so is mine. 

I am ignoring this and hoping it just goes away. 

I really don't get how they let Gus Bradley walk out of the building after interviewing him. He seems to be the most logical choice for a DC still out there.

And has anyone watched Gameday Prime on the NFL Network? This has to be the worst NFL show in history. And of course, Deion has to name it after himself...

 

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6 minutes ago, Joe Pesci said:

I really don't get how they let Gus Bradley walk out of the building after interviewing him. He seems to be the most logical choice for a DC still out there.

And has anyone watched Gameday Prime on the NFL Network? This has to be the worst NFL show in history. And of course, Deion has to name it after himself...

The DC Rumor mill is that Bradley might have been interviewing the Redskins as much as visa versa.  The Dcoordinator job here is pretty unattractive, with very little talent to work with and a head coach that could easily be fired with a bad performance next year.  So I'm not 100% sure the Redskins could have gotten Bradley unless they were willing to make him an absolutely outrageous offer. 

I'm hoping that Bradley interviews with San Diego and then comes back and signs with us.  But my suspicion is that he'd prefer the job security and superior defensive talent in San Diego.

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Im hoping for a GB v Steelers SB. 

However should Brady make it and go out on top ala Peyton, I wouldnt be too upset with that outcome. In other words, if Tom can win one last ring I hope he hangs it up rather than go too long, time will catch him eventually I dont care how well he did this year.

That said, I still favor a GB over Pitt Super Bowl. Rodgers is channeling some magic, some epic greatness that is just a joy to watch right now.

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1 hour ago, Maithanet said:

The DC Rumor mill is that Bradley might have been interviewing the Redskins as much as visa versa.  The Dcoordinator job here is pretty unattractive, with very little talent to work with and a head coach that could easily be fired with a bad performance next year.  So I'm not 100% sure the Redskins could have gotten Bradley unless they were willing to make him an absolutely outrageous offer. 

I'm hoping that Bradley interviews with San Diego and then comes back and signs with us.  But my suspicion is that he'd prefer the job security and superior defensive talent in San Diego.

Makes sense. He probably needs at least a few seasons in the same spot to repair his rep if he's looking to even try to land another interview for a HC job. The stench of his time in Jacksonville is going to follow him for a while.

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If Pittsburgh v. Green Bay did happen it would be a rematch of the 2011 Superb Owl with the same QB's and coaches.  That doesn't happen too often many years later, but one could argue that those are two of the most consistent franchises and likeliest to make such a thing happen.

Cowherd today was saying that he thinks Andy Reid is probably thinking hard about trying to find something better than Alex Smith not saying Smith is bad per se but just not good enough to win it all.  And he was saying that KC is loaded enough overall that they can't waste their window.  He was proposing looking at trading a few key players for Handsome Jimmy.

ETA:  If Handsome Jimmy is easily better than Alex Smith than I'd have a hard time seeing Darth Hoodie just hooking KC up like that even for some nice talent in return.  

 

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So, I think one story that has flown under the radar has been how FUCKING TERRIBLE the Chiefs played.  

Look, of the 4 games this weekend, 2 home teams won (Pats, Atlanta) and two lost (KC and Dallas).  Dallas lost but played a FUCKING GREAT game.  Seattle and the Texans lost but they sort of should have.  

The Chiefs looked like ass.  

The Chiefs, as I stated in my prediction, sort of back-into that #2 slot though still finished 12-4 in an ultra-competitive division.  But this game? 

The Chiefs started the game with a tremendous opening drive; 6 plays, 55 yards, all plays for positive yardage - 7, 7, 21, 7, 8 and 5 yards.  The play calling was imaginative, fresh and moved the ball every play.  These were KC's scripted plays- the ones they decided to run ten days ago.  After that?  Well, Andy Reid had to start coaching and well... things got repetitive.  

I have no book of stats to back this up but how many KC plays looked like this:

Line up, double back set, Smith under center, send WR in motion, snap, play action to Hill, roll out the TE and FB to the right, Smith rolls out to the Right, option read, TE turns up field, look down field, short, dump pass to the FB for 4 yards. 

Line up, 2 WR to the Left with TE wide to the left, RB and FB with Smith in the shotgun WR in motion, snap, play action to Ware, option read, TE darts up field, QB looks up field, rolls to the right away from WR and dump pass to FB for 4 yards. 

Line up, full back field, double TE set, Kelce motion right, option read, hand off to Ware for two yards, FIRST DOWN!  

Line up, I formation, double WR set, TE in the slot, motion WR, hand off to Ware, up the middle for 3 yards.  

Line up, double back set, Smith under center, send WR in motion, snap, play action to Hill, roll out the TE and FB to the right, Smith rolls out to the Right, TE turns up field, look down field, incomplete pass.  

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

EVERY FUCKING PLAY takes 2 hours to run; the clock runs and they take all 40 seconds to get the play in, lined up, called and then run.  Every drive takes 7 minutes, plays come in late, and KC semeed to take EVERY SECOND of the play clock .... AND THEY WERE BEHIND!  

No, really, can we try throwing down field?  Is that too much to ask?  CAn you get a p[lay in and THROW THE FUCKING BALL!?!?!?!?!?

Here is the actual play calling from the Chiefs after the TD:

1st Down  A.Smith pass incomplete deep right to S.Ware.
2nd (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short middle to T.Kelce to KC 25 for 13 yards.  (WOW!) 
1st and 10 at KC 25 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short right to S.Ware pushed ob at KC 29 for 4 yards.
2nd and 6 at KC 29 (Shotgun) C.West right guard to KC 29 for no gain (R.Shazier). PENALTY Holding, 10 yards, enforced at KC 29 - No Play.
2nd and 16 at KC 19 (1:44 - 1st) (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short right to D.Harris [J.Harrison]. 
3rd and 16 at KC 19 (1:35 - 1st) (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short left to T.Hill to KC 28 for 9 yards (A.Burns).
4th and 7 at KC 28 -- PUNT

1st and 10 at KC 25 S.Ware up the middle to KC 28 for 3 yards
2nd and 7 at KC 28 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short left to T.Hill pushed ob at KC 35 for 7 yards (J.Harrison).
1st and 10 at KC 35 (8:08 - 2nd) A.Smith pass short middle INTERCEPTED by R.Shazier 

1st and 10 at KC 20 S.Ware left guard to KC 23 for 3 yards.
2nd and 7 at KC 23 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short right to T.Hill
3rd and 7 at KC 23 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short left to S.Ware.
4th and 7 at KC 23 PUNT

1st and 10 at KC 16 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short right to T.Hill to KC 20 for 4 yards (B.Dupree).
2nd and 6 at KC 20 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete deep right to C.Conley PENALTY on PIT-R.Shazier, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at KC 20 - No Play.
1st and 10 at KC 35 (Shotgun) PENALTY on KC-Z.Fulton, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at KC 35 - No Play.
1st and 15 at KC 30 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short left to J.Maclin.
2nd and 15 at KC 30 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short middle to C.West to KC 38 for 8 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by PIT.

1st and 10 at KC 24 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short right to C.Conley.
2nd and 10 at KC 24 (Shotgun) S.Ware up the middle to KC 23 for -1 yards.
3rd and 11 at KC 23 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete deep middle to T.Kelce.
4th and 11 at KC 23 PUNT 

1st and 10 at KC 21 A.Smith pass short right to S.Ware to KC 18 for -3 yards
2nd and 13 at KC 18 A.Smith pass incomplete deep right to C.Conley. PENALTY on PIT-R.Cockrell, Defensive Pass Interference, 20 yards, enforced at KC 18 - No Play.
1st and 10 at KC 38 (Shotgun) S.Ware up the middle to KC 41 for 3 yards.
2nd and 7 at KC 41 A.Smith scrambles up the middle to KC 45 for 4 yards
3rd and 3 at KC 45 (Shotgun) Direct snap to S.Ware. S.Ware up the middle to PIT 47 for 8 yards (Sweet Jesus, the Wildcat!)
1st and 10 at PIT 47 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short middle to T.Hill.
2nd and 10 at PIT 47 (Shotgun) T.Hill left end pushed ob at PIT 39 for 8 yards
3rd and 2 at PIT 39 (Shotgun) PENALTY on KC-A.Smith, Delay of Game, 5 yards, enforced at PIT 39 - No Play.
3rd and 7 at PIT 44 (Shotgun) A.Smith sacked at 50 for -6 yards (J.Harrison).
4th and 13 at 50 PUNT

1st and 10 at PIT 46 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete deep middle to T.Kelce.
2nd and 10 at PIT 46 (Shotgun) A.Smith scrambles right end ran ob at PIT 41 for 5 yards (2:09 - 3rd) Timeout #1 by KC at 02:09.

3rd and 20 at KC 44 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass deep right to J.Maclin to PIT 36 for 20 yards (Only play of 20 or more yards this game for KC) 
1st and 10 at PIT 36 C.West left end to PIT 37 for -1 yards
2nd and 11 at PIT 37 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass short right to C.Conley pushed ob at PIT 30 for 7 yards (R.Cockrell).
3rd and 4 at PIT 30 (Shotgun) A.Smith pass incomplete short middle to A.Wilson.
4th and 4 at PIT 30 Field Goal

How many of those drives were assisted or resuscitated by a penalty?  Where was the KC offense?  After the game started, and Andy Reid had to coach an offense, that offense ... died.  What were they doing?  How come they weren't doing anything different?  Why not sun SOMETHING besides "short pass rto the FB" or "short pass to Ware" or "short incomplete pass."  That team was ONLY in that game because that D solidified in the Red Zone.  The Steelers could have had 42 points instead of 18.  But that offense was putrid.  

I think Alex Smith is incapable of getting anywhere else.  He could not read the Steelers or take advantage of any match-ups.  Whenever he scrambled, he was just LOOKING to dump it off or throw it away.  He had nothing this game.  The BEST plays for the Chiefs were Steleers penalties, including the helmet-to-helmet on Conley.

I think I was afraid of a paper-tiger.  The Chiefs were eminently overrated and showed it last night.  The Steelers have issues (got to get into the endzone and Rothlesberger has been playing very sloppy as of late), but the Chiefs got their ass kicked up and down the field and they were utterly incapable of changing their destiny on O.  

TL;DR Andy Reid and Alex Smith Andy Reid-ed and Alex Smith-ed up this game.  

And Kelce is a tool. bag.  

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At this point I think anyone who isn't a Packers, Falcons or Steelers fan should be pulling for the Patriots. They may be unlikable to many of you, but not as unlikable as Goodell, and it would be kind of amazing to have to watch him give Kraft the Lombardi Trophy and (likely) Brady the MVP Trophy. 

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14 hours ago, Altherion said:

I saw a line earlier that someone had that said maybe Antonio Brown figured that the Patriots would probably have audio and video from the Steelers locker room anyways. :D

Hoodie's answer about the video is hilarious

Belichick is one of the finest linguists going.

 

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19 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

At this point I think anyone who isn't a Packers, Falcons or Steelers fan should be pulling for the Patriots. They may be unlikable to many of you, but not as unlikable as Goodell, and it would be kind of amazing to have to watch him give Kraft the Lombardi Trophy and (likely) Brady the MVP Trophy. 

I won't go that far. I hate the Patriots, so I'm perfectly happy seeing the Packers or Falcons embarrass them in the Super Bowl. Even if seeing Goodell have to fake smile his way through handing Kraft the trophy would be fun to see.

However, Big Ben's a rapist, so fuck the Steelers.

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1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

At this point I think anyone who isn't a Packers, Falcons or Steelers fan should be pulling for the Patriots. They may be unlikable to many of you, but not as unlikable as Goodell, and it would be kind of amazing to have to watch him give Kraft the Lombardi Trophy and (likely) Brady the MVP Trophy. 

Another thing to think about:  if the Pats could pull this out Brady would have a 5th ring and no longer be tied with any other QB in that department which would bolster his claim to best of all time.  Hell, how many AFC title games has he been to?  Without looking it up I'm guessing this is like 10 or 11.  

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51 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

At this point I think anyone who isn't a Packers, Falcons or Steelers fan should be pulling for the Patriots. They may be unlikable to many of you, but not as unlikable as Goodell, and it would be kind of amazing to have to watch him give Kraft the Lombardi Trophy and (likely) Brady the MVP Trophy. 

God... I want to support this... I do... 

But I can't blame anyone for just HATING the Pats and shaking their heads in exasperation if they make it to ANOTHER Superbowl.  I mean, Tom Brady will be playing in his ELEVENTH AFC Championship game.  Think about this.  Brady has been a started since 2001; if we take out 2008 (injury) that means that if Tom Brady is your starting QB your team has A SEVENTY THREE PERCENT CHANCE of making a Conference Championship game.  Which is great if Brady is your QB.

If not ... its like hearing "Nominees for Best Actress" and then shake your head as you hear that Meryl Streep was in this movie you never saw or heard of but, somehow, miraculously, has yet another nomination.  I can't blame people if they think "Not her... again" just as I cannot blame ANYBODY who watches a football game and thinks, "Not them again..." 

Not to say that the Pats or Streep do not deserve to be there; the Pats do (and so does Streep, but that's a lot more subjective) its just that people HAVE to be sick of it by now.  I cannot ask people to root for something they are sick of. 

 

If Rodger Goodell has to hand Brady the Superbowl and/or MVP Trophy I might ... reach the peak... 

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6 minutes ago, Triskan said:

Another thing to think about:  if the Pats could pull this out Brady would have a 5th ring and no longer be tied with any other QB in that department which would bolster his claim to best of all time.  Hell, how many AFC title games has he been to?  Without looking it up I'm guessing this is like 10 or 11.  

Let me try to do this on memory: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. If I'm right, you're right on - 11 times. Jesus have they really made it the last 6 years in a row? 

 

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6 hours ago, Mexal said:

Eh, we see that often and it's not called. If Harrison plants his foot, he gets pushed and I doubt it gets called. The reason it was called is because the ref thought Fisher brought Harrison down which he didn't do. That arm bar and push from the side is so common against edge rushers. It's how they allow the QB to step up. Whitworth does it often and only gets called once in a rare while (generally to negate a big play...).

Anyway, not going to argue it anymore. Renly gets to the heart of the matter for me. It's the inconsistency of the calls that bother me less so then the actual call against Fisher. Much to Ross' dismay, the link in the previous sentence shows examples of Steelers holding early in season that went uncalled. They didn't have a single holding call against them in that game and it was a major issue. If you watch that and watch other Steelers games, you'll see why it annoyed me to see something that I deem marginal get called in such a big time situation.

I've seen that video and your point is valid. I can't argue the footage. I just think in a vacuum the play and call last night was the right one. I guess it's just reasonable that a ref won't catch every call, and we can all create a self fulfilling prophecy when our own team is involved sometimes. Mexal, I respect your passion. So much in fact I went back and corrected the spelling of your username twice as autocorrect attempted to spell Mexico and medal. 

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2 hours ago, Jaime L said:

Let me try to do this on memory: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. If I'm right, you're right on - 11 times. Jesus have they really made it the last 6 years in a row? 

 

I'm not a Colts fan, to count getting to a conference championship game as an achievement, but as they say, quantity is its own quality.

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