Saturday:
Chiefs vs Texans
Steelers vs Bengals
Sunday:
Seahawks vs Vikings
Packers vs Redskins
So far, the Texans are continuing the crappy football post season we saw with college games. Give your predictions or discuss the games this wild card weekend.
As a Skins fan, I am glad to have a vested interest in this weekend. I hope they can continue the hot streak even though Aaron Rodgers against a banged up secondary scares me.
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Comments
I'm going to go with the Steelers, The Vikings and the Packers and way out on a limb the Chiefs.
As a Washington sports fan, I'm just glad that there's a decent chance we won't be the worst team in the playoffs. Thanks, Houston!
Was really hoping for a Texans-Redskins Super Bowl.
I appreciate the fact that the Redskins actually have the sixth best record in the NFC, so it's not like there are any teams getting screwed by the automatic division champ berth.
Unlike the Jets with the Texans.
I forgot to finish my predictions. I'll take Steelers, hawks, and skins. Hawks by 10+, the others close.
Does anyone know why both AFC games are on Saturday and both NFC games on Sunday? That seems abnormal. I thought they always had one AFC and one NFC game on each day. I tried searching online and couldn't find anything. My uneducated guess is that the networks broadcasting the games had something to do with it.
I thought the same thing.
I think it was all an NFL call. Even Al Michaels seemed surprised that NBC got the 1 PM game. Obviously, we knew that Fox would get an NFC game and CBS would get an AFC game. NBC and the mouse would split the other two, but most people probably thought that they would get the Saturday games.
So I think it's more to do with which games the NFL wanted to put into which timeslots.
What I did find odd was that the ABC broadcast was a few seconds ahead of the ESPN broadcast. Which is strange, because in theory, it had to go through more relays (the local affiliate).
EDIT: And they probably wanted the Minnesota game in the earliest possible time slot, to keep it all in daylight.
Kinda knew the Chiefs would beat the Texans, but Christ, that was ugly. I'm calling the Vikings with the upset, the Skins beating the Packers, and the Steelers managing to win without any run game.
Delhomme'd
As a Panthers fan, your prediction is my dream scenario tomorrow
Oh shit. Hadn't thought about that. Though I don't know whether I'd rather play a Carolina team that already spanked us, or a Cardinals team that would probably spank us.
When in doubt, I take the rematch.
No matter what happens this week the Panthers have a rematch. So if I had to choose, is pick Washington over Seattle or Green Bay for next week. But no matter who we play next week, we are going into a rematch against a team we already beat.
First two games really a reminder that in the NFL if you don't have a quarterback, you might as well pack your bags before kickoff.
It's a shame how the evolution of the game and the focus on that one position in particular has really produced a lot of bad to watch football in the NFL as of late.
Best catch of the year right there.
Easily. Only entertaining thing about this game so far.
Nothing quite like a good butt catch.
Ummm...that's not leading with the crown?
Unreal for the CBS crew to not even mention that once during that entire stoppage. It's definitely a component of the rule
I'll be surprised if this game doesn't devolve into a brawl, or at least have a ton of personal fouls.
Roethlisberger might have a collarbone break. We might see Vick in a playoff game.
Edit: Didn't know he was inactive
That's weird he is.
3rd QBs are inactive by default.
For some strange reason, NFL rules don't allow for more than 2 active QBs in a game. If you play your QB3, you lose one of the other ones for the rest of the game.
Wait really.
Actually, I looked it up, and they abolished that rule in 2011, a year after it was invoked by the Bears in the NFC Championship. They lost Cutler to injury, the QB2 was trash, and the use of the QB3 meant neither Cutler nor Hanie could reenter.
Wow. I just had just turned to my wife (ASU alum) and said "Burfict is going to hurt Rothliesberger before this game is over"
Didn't think it would be the next play.
For his sake glad it was a clean play. Never want to see an injury, and definitely not dirty.
These guys gotta stop looking for flags every play. Getting old
McCarron has to remember he isn't an NFL golden boy.
Classic Bungles. Becoming one of the all time meltdowns
That hit didn't appear to be dirty but it was nasty looking
Falls under "defenseless receiver"
And now it gets ugly for the bengals
Marvin Lewis has got to be fired.
How can a guy that's never even won a playoff game keep on when he clearly has no control of his team.
The entire defense should have been brought to the sideline in that situation
Denver must be happy to be playing a one armed big Ben.
Disgusting game by 55. Should be fined, suspended and released. He had a vendetta the entire game (after the fumble by bernard) to hurt someone. That has no place in football.
I'm a Steelers fan so I already didn't like cincy but goddamn, that was dirty football
Pittsburgh got their shots in too. Still no idea how Shazier's wasn't flagged for leading with the crown of his helmet.
Refs let that game get out of hand and then couldn't control it
Haven't looked up the rules, but the commentators said that the Shazier hit was clean because the running back was already established as a "runner" and not a "defenseless receiver" because he had made the catch and a "football move". I agree that in college that would likely be targeting, but IIRC targeting doesn't exist in the NFL. Side note: What they really missed on that play was the fumble that Shazier returned for a TD that would have put the game out of reach.
The Burfect hit on AB was ugly and illegal. He purposely lowered his shoulder, aimed at the receiver's head, and ran through the hit when the receiver had no chance to defend himself. He could have easily avoided contact, but chose to make the hit when he knew the player didn't have the ball. He put another players career and life in jeopardy just to deliver a big hit that could do his team no good, as the ball was long gone before the hit. He is a selfish player who plays out of control. That type of play has no place at any level of football. If I was in charge in Cincinnati, and Lewis didn't get rid of Burfect then Lewis would need to be looking for a new job. Lewis had no control over his team in the most important game of the year, that can't stand.
How many more flags should they have thrown? The only thing that they could have done different is eject people, but nothing in the game warranted that until the Burfect hit, which ended up being the last defensive play for the Bengals anyway.
Leading with the crown of the helmet while making a tackle has been a penalty in the NFL since 2013.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000238662/article/new-nfl-rules-cro...
The CBS crew butchered the discussion of that play. Being "defenseless" or not has nothing to do with that component of the rule.
Pretty clear that Shazier lined him up and put his eyes down to initiate contact with the top of his helmet.
It is that context I am referring to when saying the refs let it get out of hand. If they throw a flag correctly there, and that Bengals drive isn't ended deep in plus territory at a critical moment, is Burfict still as incensed? I'm not saying Burfict is excused for his dirty hit at all.
There's no denying that Shazier led with the helmet, like I said I hadn't looked up the rule on that one, I just know it's different than in college. The refs missed a number of things in that game, any number of which could have affected the outcome.
But my biggest takeaway was the lack of control on the Cincinnati side, from the fans cheering when Ben was carted off and throwing stuff at him (totally classless) all the way up to Lewis having no control over his team (the Burfect incident, the player running onto the field with his cape on to shove a Steeler player, Jones shoving a ref). Someone at the top needs to reevaluate what this organization has become. I don't know where the change needs to happen (other than getting rid of Burfect) or exactly how much change is needed. Would a new coach be needed? Would that be enough? But something needs to be changed for this team to improve and move in a positive direction.
With his history and the way he was playing, I think he would take that shot no matter what the score.
Sorry if my rant on Burfect seemed aimed at you, it wasn't, I just think that he's a dirty player that has no place in football. Hits like the one on AB are not only unnecessary, but are unprofessional. Brown is out there just trying to do his job, trying to play the game, like everyone else out there. Many times I've heard players talk about how while it's true that you want to play the game hard, you never want to hurt anyone or see anyone hurt. As professionals, they understand that their playing time is limited and feel a comradery even towards rivals. By his play, Burfect doesn't show this.
No worries, I didn't take it that way at all.
I know Burfict well. I literally turned to my ASU alum wife and said "Steelers better watch out or Burfict is going to hurt Rothliesberger". Very familiar with his "style" of play.
A shame really because if he wasn't such a headcase on the field he is actually pretty darn good.
Yeah, if he were to play smart, he'd be a force.
Apparently he also turned over one of the cameras covering the game. One of the large ones on a tripod on the sideline. The league needs to suspend him for some time. Pushing trainers, multiple dirty hits, but Cincinnati knew he had issues when they drafted him.
I am surprised a Steelers fan can recognize dirty football. When the black and gold go headhunting, their fans call it tough football. Glad to see a team give them a taste of their own medicine
Pacman Jones, a product of our couch burning neighbors, and a product of the one who shall not be named. Classless and undisciplined fourth quarter. With that being said, Hail to the Redskins.
Actually feel for Pacman. If any flag goes out there, looked like it should have been called on Joey Porter
I agree but that is also like an entire summary of his career. Often times being the one to retaliate (yet those are the ones that always get caught) he is always involved in a bad situation. Always had so much potential.
Why? PAC Man made contact with a ref. Not to mention Burfect (sp) pushing a Steelers training staff member should have been called and had him ejected just before it.
But Pittsburgh should have also drawn a flag there, because Joey Porter, their LB coach, was on the field in Pacmans face antagonizing him. I didn't think there was much contact between him and the ref, but the refs had to throw the flag to try and maintain order.
Any contact between a player and a ref will draw a flag.
That is definitely not true. There were multiple example from last nights game alone from both teams of them touching refs looking/arguing calls from both teams. In the 3rd quarter after a play in the endzone Pacman literally walked down the sideline shoulder to shoulder with a ref talking to him with no flag.
Contact in and of itself is not a penalty. As I said, the refs let it get out of hand and had to throw something at that point. Jones' reputation precedes itself (although the irony is Porter has been way dirtier on the actual field in terms of hits). Should have been offsetting at the least
As seen here: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000609334/Kirk-Cous...
Really ok let me rephrase, any contact made that the ref feels is of a flagrant or malicious nature is getting a flag, a bump, a hit, a push. Just touching one or walking. Beside one isn't going to get you a flag clearly. I mean come on you knew what I meant.
Was that the incident where CBS kept showing the wrong video for what drew the flag? It was called on Jones, but every video they showed was 55 patting the Steeler on the shoulder and the training staff shoving him. Jones wasn't even near that incident.
There were two incidents. Jones was called for bumping into/pushing a ref from behind.
Technically, as an assistant coach, Porter shouldn't have been on the field, but do to the severity of the hit on AB and the concern for his well-being the refs allowed it, they likely thought it a good idea to have another coach on the field to try to keep the players from starting another fight and he was standing between a group of Steelers and a group of Bengals at the time of the incident. There was chatter between Porter and some of the Cincy players, what was said we'll probably never know (perhaps they were exchanging chili recipes), as there was no public microphones there. But it was Jones that shoved a ref to try to get at Porter, which will draw a flag every. single. time.
Was just reading an article on ESPN about the super cold games. There was an anecdote in there about how Bruce Smith used to stay warm: he'd slather his entire body with Vaseline before games, and would have trainers reapply it at halftime.
Bruce was slick.
I also remember him answering a question about why he never wore sleeves in the cold in Buffalo. He said "It's all mind over matter; if you don't mind, it don't matter."
Kam Chancellor out there with no sleeves in -6 degree weather.
Well, he did spend a lot of time in Blacksburg, so this kind of cold isn't new to him.
I feel like I'm watching a game from the 60's. It's so cold there.
I feel like I'm watching a game from the 90s...a day game on NBC.
Kam with a forced fumble on ap, #DBU
Which sets up a Seattle drive giving them the lead off a FG
I was happy to see that but I hate Seattle and I hope they lose.
Agreed, one of those tough moments when you want to cheer for the player but hope his team goes down in a flaming shit pile, or in this case, a frozen shit pile.
Vikings just have nobody to make a play for them on either side right now. LB has to make that pick
You had one job...
Seattle looks like a team heading back to the Super Bowl I think. Horseshoe up their ass right now
Kam had a late P.I. but in the end, it didn't matter. His forced fumble made a huge difference.
LACES OUT!!!!!!
finkle is einhorn...einhorn is finkle
If the skins win a playoff game, does that mean that The End Times are near?
Maybe. I do know that it means they will get steamrolled by Arizona next week.
False "alarm".
I'm a Vikings fan.
As soon as I saw it would be Seahawks @ Panthers, I snapped up tickets to the game next weekend. Getting to see the Panthers at home with the year they're having PLUS Kam and company is too good to pass up. All within driving distance.
Felt like this summed up the 2nd half of the Skins game