NFL playoff thread

[AntiG]

Bucs WR Scotty Miller married to a Rutgers grad and Westfield NJ native.

nice she was a member of the gymnastics team

 

[chickenpatty2]

Is there a worse rule in sports that the one which burned the Browns at the end of the first half? Anywhere else on the field, if you fumble forward and the ball goes out of bounds, you retain possession at the point of the fumble. However, if you fumble forward into the end zone and the ball goes out of bounds, you lose possession on the touchback. Why the inconsistency?

I've said this (mostly to myself) for years. It's the one rule that I never understood. I guess it's a "penalty" almost, for being the team that is careless with the ball at exactly the wrong time. You could literally dig and claw your way 99 yards on a great drive, get the ball to the other team's 1 yard line, then fumble it through the end zone, only to have the OTHER team get the ball on the 20. WHAT???!!! It's like a penalty that simply mocks the team that fumbles it. That's before a missed targeting call. I agree with the "give the offense the ball back on the 20" or something like that, but not give it to the other team. Had it gone out on the one inch line, they still would have retained possession. I mean, can you think of a way that the offense can take advantage of this, if it wasn't a penalty?

 

[Terry_2426]

Is there a worse rule in sports that the one which burned the Browns at the end of the first half? Anywhere else on the field, if you fumble forward and the ball goes out of bounds, you retain possession at the point of the fumble. However, if you fumble forward into the end zone and the ball goes out of bounds, you lose possession on the touchback. Why the inconsistency?

It's a dumb rule but I've never understood using the 'anywhere else on the field' logic as a reason for changing it. The endzone is treated differently compared to the rest of the field for a ton of different plays, so it's not like this is a unique circumstance. Still, dumb rule nevertheless.

 

[1stand3rd]

NFL official tries to explain the reason for the rule. I agree, the punishment is too harsh.

NFL official explains why one of football's worst rules exists in the first place | FOX Sports

Now, can we figure out what a catch is, please?

www.google.com

 

[Doctor Worm]

Easy solution. Change the rule so if you fumble forward into the end zone and your team recovers it, it's not a touchdown. The ball is returned to the point of the fumble. And then also implement the rule change that everyone seems to want.

 

[1stand3rd]

I would suggest a 10 or 15 yard penalty from the original line of scrimmage.

 

[BigLou]

and to make it worse, the obvious targeting was missed and couldn’t be reviewed. Regardless, Mayfield had his chances with his last drive and couldn’t get it done.

The fact that targeting can't be reviewed is as dumb as the fumble forward rule. Is it that the NFL only wants to protect players if the refs can see it happen. Yesterday the ref was not in a good spot to see th helmet so I guess that means it did not happen.

 

[chickenpatty2]

NFL official tries to explain the reason for the rule. I agree, the punishment is too harsh.

NFL official explains why one of football's worst rules exists in the first place | FOX Sports

Now, can we figure out what a catch is, please?

www.google.com

The "Impetus" Rule -- when I was a kid, reading through those annual books that included all the stats from the previous years, (I think) there was a page with refs showing all the penalty and scoring signals with their hands/arms/legs, little did I know that, $#$@%&!! years later, I'd JUST be learning about the "Impetus" Rule.

 

[NickRU714]

Heard an interesting defense of the rule:

It's one of the very few rules that benefit the defense.
Offense gets every other break.
Let the defense have this.

 

[chickenpatty2]

Heard an interesting defense of the rule:

It's one of the very few rules that benefit the defense.
Offense gets every other break.
Let the defense have this.

Actually, I wouldn't mind the offense getting called for PI once in awhile. I think that might even things out a bit.

 

[NickRU714]

Interesting stats regarding the Final Four:

Scoring Offense
#1 Green Bay (31.8)
#2 Buffalo Bills (31.3)
#3 TB Bucs (30.8)
#6 KC Chiefs (29.6)

Scoring Defense
#8 TB Bucs (22.2)
#10 KC Chiefs (22.6)
#14 GB Packers #14 (23.1)
#16 Buffalo Bills (23.4)

Fun Fact: Giants were #9 in scoring defense (22.3ppg).
I would post the Giants scoring offense rank but it's considered "trashing the team" to post Giants offensive stats.