Stoney's He-Man Steeler Haters NFL Playoff Thread ... No Yinzers allowed

The league and most people thought it was conclusive enough, even if they think the rule is garbage. Do you want links for that or do we stop with Wetzel?

And it's control through the catch which meanhs control after hitting the ground. I assume you have seen the Calvin Johnson play, did he not switch hands and have two feet down which for some reason you think constitutes a catch

You win, you're right the league fixed it to make up for the Lions game.

 

The rules for a catch seem closer to the rules for judging a dismount from a balance beam. If you
don't "stick" the jump you lose points.

 

Exactly.

 

Yes, but that was once. You should know that a game winning TD drive is never a likely probability.

 

Harbaugh complaining about The Pats formations sounds like a youth football coach complaining
about splits of the offensive line as a factor in their loss because his 10 year olds were confused.

These are pros that should be able to adjust to any situation. It was a brilliant idea on the part of
the Pats. I've watched on the all 22's and The Ravens look absolutely baffled.

 

I understand where you're coming from, but: 1) Green Bay had just driven for (what proved to be) a game-winning TD; and 2) Green Bay's offensive challenge on its last possession wasn't all that different from what it would have been had Dallas scored there.

Yes, we tend to elevate game-winning TD drives, and rightly so. In this case, however, I think the Packers showed -- on their last possession -- how likely it was* that they'd have gone on and won anyway.

*In my estimation -- damn likely.

 

Harbaugh's biggest complaint is the officials didn't give them enough time between the announcement and the snap to adjust. Peter King wrote there was 10, 7 and 10 seconds between plays, which I'd believe if I thought Peter King actually did the legwork other than re-watch and count Mississippis in his head.
I timed it out on my iPhone - 7.9 on the first, 7.7 on the second, 6.1 on the third. That's from the end of the announcement to the first snap call, regardless if the ball is snapped or not.
Is that enough time? I think it's more than enough.
I'm curious to see if the Pats will roll out a similar formation against Indy. They might not need to. But if they do, I think Indy will have a decent idea how to stop it because pretty much whoever is lined up across from Vereen or whoever is ineligible, that guy just blitzes. With Brady in the shotgun, there isn't enough space to lateral it to Vereen and get any yardage worth going for.

 

Lot of talk that Belichick borrowed from his buddy Saban. No. 74 wants the ball dammit!

 

I hear you, but I think that a part of that estimation is your sense that "they're the Cowboys and will always find a way to fall short especially with that smoke and mirrors defense that can't cover anyone" which I've been feeling all year, but but I recognize it as fan emotion.
As for game winning TD drives, it is rightly so. There's a reason almost every Brady heroic finish came off of Vinitiari's foot.

 

The ineligible was a wideout. The player lined up as a tackle was eligible. that was what really confused the Ravens.
You could blitz against that guy but if he gets a free release Brady will get him the ball fast

 

It still adds up to one more pass rusher than blocker. It's a trick that should only have worked once. The first time a play ends with Brady on the ground, that's it for the trick.

 

Vereen, the RB, was the ineligible lined up wide as he does a lot against man coverage. The Pats usually look for a linebacker on coverage there and they go to him. I'd be curious if they send Amendola, LaFell or Edelman out as ineligible just as a wrinkle.
The player who's ineligible can't be the first to touch the ball on a forward pass, just like a lineman. So if it's Vereen and there's a corner on him, that corner can fire in at the QB and leave Vereen alone. The only option the Pats would have would be to throw a lateral, but with Brady in the shotgun - 7, 8 yards deep - he'd have to catch, turn and fire as Vereen races to get parallel or behind him.
At that point, Vereen still has to travel 8 yards to get to the LOS, so is it worth it? I don't think so.
It's still a tremendous play, but I think it's run its course. If the Pats win, Seattle will have a game plan against it.