NFL Divisional Round weekend thread

Joe Kapp

 

Fried Grouper sandwich from Frenchy's in Clearwater, washed down with a frozen rum runner.

 

Tampa? Strip club $5 steaks.

 

Let's be logical here.

On a fumble out of bounds in the field of play, the ball stays in the possession of the team that fumbled it where it goes out of bounds (if the ball goes backward) or at the spot of the fumble (if it goes forward).

So why does that rule have to change at all when it's fumbled into the end zone? Why can't it just be the fumbling team's ball at the spot of the fumble? Makes sense to me.

I don't get why fumbling through the end zone should carry any more penalty than any other fumble.

Honestly, though, I kinda like the rule as it is even though it makes little sense. Raises the stakes a whole lot. Makes gives the reach for the end zone a huge element of risk. And gives the defense another way to snatch a big, game-changing play from a seemingly impossible situation.

Plus, one of the best plays I ever saw was Carolina rookie CB Tyrone Poole running down Jerry Rice from behind on what seemed like a sure touchdown, catching him just short of the goal line and punching the ball out of Rice's grasp in through the end zone for touchback in the expansion Panthers' monumental upset of the defending champions in 1995.

But that's just me. As noted, I get that the rule doesn't really make sense and would not object to seeing it changed.

 

Garo Yepremian

 

I yield the floor

 

An uncalled kill shot to the head can't be reviewed.
We will review a second and 9 catch/non catch to within an inch of its life.

 

Maybe, but that team in Tampa is very good. They had to incorporate many pieces on offense, so it makes sense that it took them a while to find consistency there, but he has weapons around him that are as good as any team in the league. The defense has also had its inconsistent moments, but it is among the best in the league.

 

I also get frustrated by spot fouls on defensive pass interference, but I get why the rule exists as it does. If they don't do that, you will just see defenders tackling receivers when they are beaten on deep throws. Better to take the 1w5-yard penalty than give up the 40-yard completion.

The argument is similar for defensive holding. If a defender knows he is about to be beaten at the start of a route, he could just grab the receiver every time. Maybe they could adjust and make it 10 yards without the automatic first down.

I don't understand why offensive pass interference should be a loss of down. It's not like intentional grounding, in which the quarterback is doing something illegal to avoid a big loss that would also cost his team a down.

I'm not a fan of the rule on fumbles into the end zone, either, but what Higgins did was stupid. Players do it all the time. This time he got burned.

 

I watched that play like 30 times and never once saw Mahomes get hit in the head. I was thinking it was a neck injury because it looked like his neck got twisted, but everyone was saying concussion, so I figured I must have missed something.

 

I've been confused, too, but remember, a player doesn't have to be hit in the head to suffer a concussion. It could be more of a whiplash effect making the brain bounce around inside the skull. That particular hit didn't seem like it would cause that type of effect, either, but I can certainly see how it could have done something to a nerve in his neck.