NFL playoff thread

I feel like NFL players have to walk an almost impossible line when it comes to injuries in the playoffs. Sit out, and half the chubby middle age sports columnists are invoking Jack Youngblood and essentially calling you a pussy. Play, and you're often seen as a fool who lied to his coach about how effective you can be.

Griffin has obviously embraced the leadership thing as much as he could this year. Any surprise he didn't want to get grief like Jay Cutler did three years ago for not playing on a bad knee?

 

How about asking those Skins WRs why some balls were not caught?

 

I wonder if Snyder's response to the situation will be to fire Dr. Andrews.

 

The injury debate aside, though, later in the game it became painfully apparent (pun intended) that the knee was limiting Griffin's effectiveness. So even just from a football standpoint, there was probably a point when Shanahan should have pulled the plug and got Cousins in there. Hell, the team only gained something like 65 yards total after those first two drives.

 

But the difference is Jay Cutler took grief for people not liking him before that happened. People like RG3.

Different sport, but the guy I always think of is Robb Nen. His arm was completely gone in 2002, but the Giants kept him out there through the World Series (which he eventually played a key role in losing). He is a god around SF for that commitment. He also never pitched again in the majors. Tried to rehab for about two years but nothing was working. Done at age 32.

It's like anything short of that, someone is going to find fault.

 

I don't think RG3 would have been criticized if he had come out, especially since he came back pretty quickly after the injury during the regular season and because he had been such a gritty player all season...

Cutler's biggest problem two years ago were that the Bears never announced what the injury was during the game, and Cutler isn't exactly well-liked...

Then again, I know NFL writers who insist that Ladainian Tomlinson should never be considered among the great backs because he "refused" (their words, not mine...) to play hurt in that playoff game back in I don't remember if it was 2006 or 2007.

 

LDT is another good example. Again, people have essentially called him a pussy because he didn't have better PR.

If Griffin never plays, like he doesn't suit up like Ponder, I think he does get criticized by someone. Maybe just a First Take thing, but I think it does happen.

If Shanny had the brains to pull him after it was 14-0 (which he clearly should have done, because you can tell he reinjured the knee, I don't think anyone says boo. But then there would have been another faux controversy about whether or not he was really able to continue, especially if Griffin was pissed.

 

It was the '07 AFC Championship Game and LT's sitting out looked all the worse because Phillip Rivers played with a torn ACL.

 

Shanahan being caught in a lie about the previous injury and diagnosis makes this one pretty unique. I don't recall that being part of one of these cases.

 

I wonder if Andrews will resign because he's sick of dealing with these idiots.

 

If you're considered the top doc in your field and the team not only won't take your advice but lies about it, why would you want to stay employed there? The money can't be that great.

 

Matt Ryan > Russell Wilson

Aaron Rodgers > Colin Kaepernick and Alex Smith

Peyton Manning > Joe Flacco

Tom Brady > Matt Schaub

The teams that are home are just the better teams, with the exception of San Francisco, which is the real toss-up game of the week.