NFL Conference Championship Sunday

[MileHigh]

I hate it, too. I am on the record as favoring a return of the "helping the runner" penalty for teammates intentionally pushing a ball carrier forward.

And maybe @MileHigh or another officiating/rules expert can help answer this one: Isn't pulling the runner forward still a penalty? I thought it was but in the past couple weeks I've seen plays in both NFL and college games in which a lineman has blatantly grabbed and pulled a ball carrier over the goal line for a touchdown, with no call.

Correct, you can't pull the runner. You can push the pile from behind. I've been on the field twice for it in a high school game. I'll see if I can find a clip.

 

[da man]

Yes it is still not allowed to pull the runner forward. One of the most blantant ones recently was a Skattebo TD against Texas

YES! I had forgotten which game it was in (I don't remember which pro game I saw it in, either).

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mYWy55Bf2Ow

The worst part about this one (I did remember this) was the color guy praising the lineman for pulling the runner across the line rather than pointing out that it should have been a penalty.

 

[MileHigh]

YES! I had forgotten which game it was in (I don't remember which pro game I saw it in, either).



The worst part about this one (I did rememner this) was the color guy praising the lineman for pulling the runner across the line rather than pointing out that it should have been a penalty.

Yup, absolutely should have been called.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

I can't remember when the "pushing the runner" was changed to be allowed - was there any rationale given for that?

 

[poindexter]

Before yesterday, had anyone heard about a 'blended clock', allowing the play clock to elapse before the two minute warning?

 

[HappyCurmudgeon]

I guess I look at this past 12 months of Chiefs-Bills as such:

Last year Buffalo wanted them at home, got them at home, had the ball in the hands of their best player three times in the fourth quarter trailing 27-24 and couldn't manage to get over the hump.

This year Buffalo has the ball in the hands of their best player with under three minutes remaining down by three points and couldn't get it done.

That's not an indictment on Allen or anything, this year I thought he made an amazing play that Kincaid just didn't haul in and played a tremendous game otherwise.

But two straight years Buffalo couldn't have asked for a better situation to finally beat the Chiefs, all you really want is an opportunity to win with your best guy pulling the strings, and they haven't been able to do it.

 

[playthrough]

Before yesterday, had anyone heard about a 'blended clock', allowing the play clock to elapse before the two minute warning?

Watch enough Chiefs games and you'll learn about all kinds of wrinkles in the rules.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Allen will take the heat but the problem is their defense. They've allowed 34, 42, 27 and 32 points in the four playoff losses to KC. That's too many.

Plus they chased that extra point they took off the board for the entire game, and it cost them.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Really, the most amazing part for the Chiefs is that they're on the precipice of a third straight Super Bowl victory after the unthinkable loss of Eric Bieniemy on the coaching staff.

I'm amazed they have overcome it and not gone 5-12 every year.

Funny but also evidence that coaching at the professional level is at least 90% of the time the easiest and most overrated job in the world. You either have good players and are indisposable at your job or you don't and you suck. Bieniemy without Mahomes is like Leo Mazzone without the Braves pitchers.

 

[playthrough]

Allen will take the heat but the problem is their defense. They've allowed 34, 42, 27 and 32 points in the four playoff losses to KC. That's too many.

Plus they chased that extra point they took off the board for the entire game, and it cost them.

That made me sick, and not just as someone who had them +1.5. Never ever ever ever take a point off the board.

 

[MileHigh]

Before yesterday, had anyone heard about a 'blended clock', allowing the play clock to elapse before the two minute warning?

Yes, but I'm an official. Essentially, when the game clock and the play clock overlap and show the same number for a fraction of a second, the clocks are in sync, even if one clock is slightly in front of the other.

 

[Cosmo]

Thinking more of last year, with that schedule caveat in mind of the NFC East drawing the NFC North and AFC West ... Good lord the Giants are going to have a hell of a time digging out of their current hole against that slate. The only non-playoff home games they have are against Dallas and San Francisco, both of whom I think rebound next year after down years this year. They do get Chicago, Vegas, New Orleans and New England, but all away. Hard to see them winning more than three or four next year.