The NFL Football Thread v2

[jordmundt6]

Phantom call? What? What does that mean? Carroll asked for the freeze timeout and was granted it. That was it.

[LightningScar97]

Patriots win as expected. Baltimore will be tough

[jordmundt6]

Yes, and yes. Though I hope the Pats win by two scores and it doesn't come down to Steve Gregory being able to pull a Sterling Moore impersonation.

[LightningScar97]

Championship Picks

San Francisco 34
Atlanta 17
Combine Kaepernick with SF's D not good for Atlanta.

New England 37 Baltimore 34. I think the Ravens may be a little tired after the Denver game, Patriots wear the Baltimore D in the second half, win

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jordmundt6]

I'm hoping for a comfortable/veging on blowout win for the Pats, and I don't see how the Falcons will be able to stop Kapernick with their best edge defender questionable. However, that could be a real shootout if Ryan has a good game, that Falcons receiving corps is bananas.

[LightningScar97]

No way Patriots blow out Balt

[Overdose]

Yeah I can see the Pats winning (though naturally I'm hoping for an upset), but I certainly don't see it being a blowout.

Yes Yes Yes

[LightningScar97]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooo

[LightningScar97]

Ravens 27
49ers 24

[canismajoris]

Not a bad game. The officials were easy on both teams I think, and barring turnovers both teams looked pretty good. I would have loved to see a fair catch kick though...

[jordmundt6]

Even if Koch hadn't boomed it and Ginn had fielded the kick where he was tackled, Akers was nursing...a hamstring pull or something. No way he could have connected from long distance. It was probably an okay no call on that fourth down play, but the defender clearly had two fistfuls of Crabtreee's jersey.

On a side note--I find myself inclined to genuinely dislike both teams now. Both behave like the Raiders of the 70s with less justification than they want us to believe. Makes it very hard to applaud them even when...if they do laudable things. Bye Ray...wait to sign that enormous ESPN deal until after your son graduates from Miami. Bye Ed, good luck on the free agent market. Congrats Flacco, you've just secured DRAMATIC overpayment for your services. Congratulations on the title Baltimore fans...remember this moment when Flacco makes you relive the Kyle Boller odyssey and/or the Alex Smith ordeal. Remember how happy you were to see him rewarded so handsomely (and talk to any acquaintances who are Buffalo fans, they'll be the ones best able to commiserate with you).

ETA--I do understand why they're doing it though. Last time they were here, they chased a solution and made a huge mistake. However, instead of $50 million guaranteed and nearly a decade contract, franchise him for $15 mill, and wtch his uneven performance not produce in the playoffs next year. Then, offer him 12 million a year over six years front-loaded with good signing money (still very generous for his performance and a considerable outlay) and rebuild the O-line and defense from the retirements and free agency defections of this year in the 2013 draft, and grab another receiver in the 2014 draft to groom for Boldin's slot. $50 million guaranteed for quarterback with an O-line and offense in transition is a LOT.

[canismajoris]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

Even if Koch hadn't boomed it and Ginn had fielded the kick where he was tackled, Akers was nursing...a hamstring pull or something. No way he could have connected from long distance. It was probably an okay no call on that fourth down play, but the defender clearly had two fistfuls of Crabtreee's jersey.

I didn't have a problem overall with the officiating, but I think that one really should have been called. Why officials and commentators feel it's better to miss a call than to anger people by throwing a late flag is beyond me. I understand that they don't want to be seen as determining the outcome, but only a tiny handful of rules depends on what time is left on the clock, and holding isn't one of them.

But I agree, that would have been a nearly impossible place kick even under normal circumstances. However, a ball fielded at the 50, say (which of course would have been ridiculous), wouldn't preclude the possibility of a 60 yard punt. The rule is plain that either kind of kick scores the same.

[jordmundt6]

The argument for no-call on Crabtree was that he was pushing off before the guy got two fistfuls of his jersey. The one that really should get you is Delaney Walker tackled to the ground out of the slot. That's a penalty in the XFL.

[canismajoris]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

The argument for no-call on Crabtree was that he was pushing off before the guy got two fistfuls of his jersey. The one that really should get you is Delaney Walker tackled to the ground out of the slot. That's a penalty in the XFL.

I don't really see the "both hands" argument on that though.... trying to get away from a player who's holding you is not quite the same thing as pushing off, is it? (And I watched a replay about a dozen times, the defensive player was holding before the receiver made any gesture toward pushing.)

Regardless, it was a pretty entertaining game between two teams I never expected to see in it.