N.F.L. Season 2018-19 (2 Viewers)

[tdubel]

And just to clarify; as far as the refs, consistency is the key, call the game the same way for both teams, it's like an umpire in baseball who has a giant strike zone for one team and postage stamp for the other team...…………..holding is holding and the Patriots were guilty of it and got flagged for it, the Steelers were too and were not.

This obviously wasn't going to last forever, but it's sad to see players like Brady, Edelman, Hightower and Gronkowski on the back nine.

Maybe it will be the Patriots who catch lightning in a bottle, go on a run in the playoffs and win a Super Bowl as a heavy underdog, 2002 vs the Rams aside, turnabout being fair play and all that.

And speaking of the Rams...…..............two losses in a row now………..ruh roh…………….

George,

End of the day, the Steelers D schemed the Pats pretty good (other than the miss on Hogan), i.e. , they double teamed Gronk and Edelman. Cut those 2 off, it changed the plays. That is what I took away from the game. Also, Brady legitimately faded off his back foot on the last 3 throws with no one around him, granted I don't think they would have been caught regardless in the coverage and maybe that is why he did it but end of day, that didn't even put the ball in play. Every day is different, the Steelers have to go to the dome and will probably get beat badly this week by Brees and Co.

TD

 

[lancer]

The Eagles-centric coverage last night was bizarre. They were fawning over a 6-7-1 team and Foles like they had resurrected Joe Montana and the 49ers. Constant crowd shots of the typical east coasters fleeing their arctic winter nightmare to attend a game in LA. Family photos of Foles's kids etc. I'm surprised the commentators didn't carry Foles off on their shoulders. All that nonsense about teams figuring the Rams out is a laughable. It look NFL coaches 12 weeks to figure out they needed to double Darnold (maybe the best lineman in the game) and drop their secondary to take away the long passes? Right. How about teams like the Eagles are playing for their playoff lives right now and the Rams are coasting? A good wakeup call for the playoffs. The Rams get AZ and the Niners to end the season. They should finish with 12-13 wins. Right now the Chargers may be playing the best football in LA though. An all LA Super Bowl would be interesting. Saints-Chargers would be a good game as well.

Coasting or not, the Rams were in position to tie that game if that dork hadn't fumbled the punt without being touched. Even then, the Rams got the ball back in good position thanks to the Eagles rather inexplicable FG attempt. Should have punted and pinned the Rams deep. The Rams still had a shot but messed up the clock-management on the last drive, thanks to two Rams not taking the ball out of bounds when they should have. It was frustrating to see them have such a good shot to tie and not being able to pull it off. Really wanted to see the Eagles lose. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Read today that the NFL rules committee is amending the 'roughing the passer' penalty next season to include 'hurting the Qb's feelings and/or making him feel bad'. Perfect. -- Al

 

[Warrior]

The Eagles-centric coverage last night was bizarre. They were fawning over a 6-7-1 team and Foles like they had resurrected Joe Montana and the 49ers. Constant crowd shots of the typical east coasters fleeing their arctic winter nightmare to attend a game in LA. Family photos of Foles's kids etc. I'm surprised the commentators didn't carry Foles off on their shoulders. All that nonsense about teams figuring the Rams out is a laughable. It look NFL coaches 12 weeks to figure out they needed to double Darnold (maybe the best lineman in the game) and drop their secondary to take away the long passes? Right. How about teams like the Eagles are playing for their playoff lives right now and the Rams are coasting? A good wakeup call for the playoffs. The Rams get AZ and the Niners to end the season. They should finish with 12-13 wins. Right now the Chargers may be playing the best football in LA though. An all LA Super Bowl would be interesting. Saints-Chargers would be a good game as well.

If I heard one more time "This is where it all started last year for Foles and the Eagles, do they have another run in them" I was going to rip the TV off the wall and throw it through the window.

Yeah, great, Foles...…...oh wait, "Folesie" will catch lightning in a bottle again and the 9-7 Iggles will win another miracle Super Bowl.

What is it about NFC East tomato can QB's catching lightning in a bottle and winning Super Bowls anyway; Hosteller, Opie twice, now Folesie.

It's what announcers do, they ballwash the flavor of the month, just like Nance yesterday "AND ROETHLISBERGER EVADES THE RUSH AND COMPLETES THE PASS FOR A FIRST DOWN TO SOME NO NAME TOMATO CAN WHITE GUY!!!!!!"...……...WOW!!!!.

Then Brady throws a dart down the seam for a 30 yard completion and he sounds like he's delivering a eulogy.

Chargers/Rams would be a great Super Bowl.

 

[tdubel]

Chargers/Rams would be a great Super Bowl.

Better one IMO is Chiefs Rams rematch. Mahomes is more exciting than Rivers. I can't stand him and you talk about luck, look at the Steelers game. If anyone would complain about referee? How many times does an O line false start and get a touchdown??? No thank you on seeing Rivers, I personally hope we make the playoffs and get to play him again to right our wrong.

TD

 

[Combat]

Coasting or not, the Rams were in position to tie that game if that dork hadn't fumbled the punt without being touched. Even then, the Rams got the ball back in good position thanks to the Eagles rather inexplicable FG attempt. Should have punted and pinned the Rams deep. The Rams still had a shot but messed up the clock-management on the last drive, thanks to two Rams not taking the ball out of bounds when they should have. It was frustrating to see them have such a good shot to tie and not being able to pull it off. Really wanted to see the Eagles lose. -- Al

I would rather see the Rams make those mistakes now than in the playoffs. They are getting a taste for what it's going to take to beat some good teams. When they were 11-1, I think they were starting to believe they were invincible. They realize now that they will have to step it up. The one thing that worries me about the Rams is that the O-line is getting pushed around. Teams are rushing four guys and getting pressure on Goff. His timing has been thrown off and he seems to be losing confidence. The Niners and Cards might be the cure though. The Rams should be able to put a beatdown on those teams and finish strong. Hopefully end the season with 13 wins and everyone healthy. Tough weekend for LA teams. The Lakers got curb stomped by the Wizards (watching Ovechkin wolf down those nachos in the front row was the most exciting part of that game) and the last place LA Kings lost a couple of OT games.

 

[Warrior]

Better one IMO is Chiefs Rams rematch. Mahomes is more exciting than Rivers. I can't stand him and you talk about luck, look at the Steelers game. If anyone would complain about referee? How many times does an O line false start and get a touchdown??? No thank you on seeing Rivers, I personally hope we make the playoffs and get to play him again to right our wrong.

TD

I'd rather see Rivers than Mahomes, he's way too cocky for my taste; you're basically a rookie, so start acting like one.

Some of his decisions are so bone headed; throwing left handed? Those no look passes too.

Rivers is a warrior, would like to see him in the SB.

 

[Warrior]

I would rather see the Rams make those mistakes now than in the playoffs. They are getting a taste for what it's going to take to beat some good teams. When they were 11-1, I think they were starting to believe they were invincible. They realize now that they will have to step it up. The one thing that worries me about the Rams is that the O-line is getting pushed around. Teams are rushing four guys and getting pressure on Goff. His timing has been thrown off and he seems to be losing confidence. The Niners and Cards might be the cure though. The Rams should be able to put a beatdown on those teams and finish strong. Hopefully end the season with 13 wins and everyone healthy. Tough weekend for LA teams. The Lakers got curb stomped by the Wizards (watching Ovechkin wolf down those nachos in the front row was the most exciting part of that game) and the last place LA Kings lost a couple of OT games.

Have to give the Rams credit, they've got big names on both sides of the ball, how they can afford Talib, Suh, Cooks, etc, etc is beyond me; everytime a big name comes up for a contract here in NE, all I hear is whining about how they are up against the cap and they can't afford the guy.

The player they miss is Amendola; he would have shredded that tire fire of a defense yesterday, his specialty is working the middle of the field and that was wide open all game long.

Why any team double teams Gronk is beyond me, he's toast, he's done, he's lost not one step, but three, plus he has no power anymore, midgetous defensive backs bring him down like he's nothing, this is 100% his last year in NE.

They kept him a year too long.

 

[Combat]

If I heard one more time "This is where it all started last year for Foles and the Eagles, do they have another run in them" I was going to rip the TV off the wall and throw it through the window.

Yeah, great, Foles...…...oh wait, "Folesie" will catch lightning in a bottle again and the 9-7 Iggles will win another miracle Super Bowl.

What is it about NFC East tomato can QB's catching lightning in a bottle and winning Super Bowls anyway; Hosteller, Opie twice, now Folesie.

It's what announcers do, they ballwash the flavor of the month, just like Nance yesterday "AND ROETHLISBERGER EVADES THE RUSH AND COMPLETES THE PASS FOR A FIRST DOWN TO SOME NO NAME TOMATO CAN WHITE GUY!!!!!!"...……...WOW!!!!.

Then Brady throws a dart down the seam for a 30 yard completion and he sounds like he's delivering a eulogy.

Chargers/Rams would be a great Super Bowl.

It would be a real kick in the pants if the Chargers won a Super Bowl before the Rams. I still and always will consider them the San Diego Chargers even though they apparently started out in LA just like I never bought the Raiders as an LA team. The only professional LA football championship that I acknowledge is the 1951 game. Van Brocklin to Tom Fears! Those were the days. Played in the Coliseum.

 

[lancer]

It would be a real kick in the pants if the Chargers won a Super Bowl before the Rams. I still and always will consider them the San Diego Chargers even though they apparently started out in LA just like I never bought the Raiders as an LA team. The only professional LA football championship that I acknowledge is the 1951 game. Van Brocklin to Tom Fears! Those were the days. Played in the Coliseum.

The '51 Championship predates even me, but every football fan worth his salt knows the history and the names of Van Brocklin, Fears, and Waterfield, along with the Browns Graham and Groza. Great teams. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

The best one I heard all weekend was when one of the announcers kept correcting himself each time he called the Chargers the "San Diego Chargers".

He finally gave up and called them "The San Diego Chargers of Los Angeles".

 

[Warrior]

Read today that the NFL rules committee is amending the 'roughing the passer' penalty next season to include 'hurting the Qb's feelings and/or making him feel bad'. Perfect. -- Al

The NFL has really become a joke, specifically their officiating.

For me, it all started in the Patriots/Steelers game with the Jones DPI. The flag comes from the ref standing under the goal posts 50 yards from the play, with no angle to see anything, while the ref right in position doesn't throw a flag.

That horseshit call led to a touchdown for Pitt a couple plays later. You knew how it was going to go when that call happened. If I'm not mistaken, he's the same ref that called the defensive holding, on a RUN play, on the Pats at the end of the game.


Someone needs to sit me down and splain to me how a defensive tackle gets flagged for holding.


On a running play.


I've said it before, I'll say it again; after every big pass/run/punt return/sack/third down stop/fumble recovery/INT, I instinctively wait several seconds for the yellow "flag" indicator to pop up on the screen.


The NFL in 2018=ref ball.

 

[wayne556517]

Flags,flags,flags
National Flag League
I thought it was meant to be a tough hard game not anymore,I heard next year there will be protecting the flag rule lol.

 

[Warrior]

Flags,flags,flags
National Flag League
I thought it was meant to be a tough hard game not anymore,I heard next year there will be protecting the flag rule lol.

Haven't you heard, it's no longer the NFL, it's now the RBL, Ref Ball League...…...flag, flag, flag, flag, flag, that's all it is now...……….so get used to it.

I'm done with it.

 

[Panzer ace]

The other problem is that offensive PI is almost never called. I saw multiple plays across multiple games this Sunday where a DB or linebacker was all but mugged by a receiver to break up an interception without a flag to be seen.

 

[mikemiller1955]

nothing is consistent...each crew calls however they interpret the rules...late in the season...week 15....Zeke got the first penalty for the offensive player leading with his helmet...I see that happen 20 times a game...

 

[Panzer ace]

nothing is consistent...each crew calls however they interpret the rules...late in the season...week 15....Zeke got the first penalty for the offensive player leading with his helmet...I see that happen 20 times a game...

Wait, an offensive player leading with his helmet is a penalty?

 

[mikemiller1955]

Wait, an offensive player leading with his helmet is a penalty?

yes it is...and it happens almost every time a RB prepares to get tackled...he lowers his head preparing for contact...what else can you do when it's inevitable you have nowhere to go but straight and want the extra yards...but lower your head...

so both heads (his and the defenders) were lowered...helmet contact was made...and he got an infraction for 15 yards...

plus a $26K fine from the league...

I don't complain about the officiating cause it does no good...you get favorable calls and unfavorable calls all the time...I can't blame a loss on a call as they should have been in a position on the scoreboard where it wouldn't matter...the bad calls that hurt are the ones in the last 5 minutes of a game that make a difference...

I see receivers and running backs lower their helmet in every single game...all year long I have seen it...it never gets called...now in week 15 they call one...the season is almost over and they finally call one...

the rules to protect the players are changing everything these players have been taught through Pee Wee football...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...irst-offensive-player-penalized-lowering-head

 

[tdubel]

I don't complain about the officiating cause it does no good...you get favorable calls and unfavorable calls all the time...I can't blame a loss on a call as they should have been in a position on the scoreboard where it wouldn't matter

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...irst-offensive-player-penalized-lowering-head

Mike you are correct. It does no good. honestly, as bad as the Steelers have played, we deserved to lose 3 in a row. That said, if ANYONE should complain about officials - how about the Chargers Game, we have to be the only team in the history (or as long as I remember) where the opposing offense has a clear false start to where half of our defense stops it is so obvious, it is not called and they SCORE A TD. We lost the game by a FG. Theoretically that game could cost us the playoffs if a number of scenarios occur and the Chargers could be the #1 seed. Is that fair, hell no, BUT we should have blown them out even with that play occurring. In the third qtr we had a chance to go up 21 or 3 scores and we lost, that is on us.

TD

 

[tdubel]

Another officiating example that I found from the Steelers/Pats game on an asked/answered talk show:

I thought the worst call by the officials this week was the apparent fumble by New England in the second half. The officials announced that the ruling on the field was that the player was "down by contact" before the ball came loose. Then AFTER the Steelers threw the challenge flag, they changed the ruling on the field to "forward progress stopped,” which is a non-reviewable call. CBS showed one replay from a bad angle, then it was seemingly forgotten. What gives?
ANSWER: I thought the play was a fumble and would have been determined to be a fumble upon a replay review, but by changing the verbiage the zebras protected themselves and forced their call on the field to stand. Another example of instant replay not getting the call correct. Typical.


As has been discussed the bad officiating is rampant. I am not even sure what the NFL can do about it, but one thing would be to acknowledge it that is for sure.

Another thing that bugged me in the game and this is a rule. Late game, Pats called for Def Holding - actually it was a blessing b/c it was on a run play and instead of the clock going another 30 secs, it stopped. So basically the D is rewarded for penalty and not forced to use a timeout or have the clock run? That is idiotic on its face, yet its a rule.

TD