AFC Championship: Patriots vs Steelers, the buildup
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I love that there's a thread where they complain about the defense that the Steelers ran against the Patriots.
You know, the same defense that the Steelers have been running for, what, 30 years??
Didn't the Steelers beat guy say essentially the same thing on the sports hub pre-game show? Namely that the reason Steelers fans are so obsessed with NE is that it is a direct affront to their lifelong assumption that the Bradshaw Steelers represent the most dominant NFL dynasty ever
I think he also had an "Obama" audible. It was the first play after the Nink fumble recovery. It was tough to pick up because the crowd was still kind of loud after the turnover but it sounded like "Obama."
I know he called an Alabama later so it may have been that too
I know he called an Alabama later so it may have been that too
This Steelers forum is just too much fun....
"Let me preface this by saying that the refs did NOT win this game for the Pats. But still...gee whiz. Help us out, here, zebras.
1. Hargraves was pulled down and literally gang tackled on the flea-flicker.
2. There were a couple of PI calls that weren't made and could have been.
3. Jesse James was blatantly held by Chung on a 3rd down play.
4. I am still not convinced, based on today's rules, that Rogers made enough of a football move for his fumble to be ruled as such. (And it didn't even seem to get reviewed.)
5. And the creme de la creme: the Brady fumble, which was a fumble, and which the refs never really bothered to determine possession anyway. I have never seen such a ho-hum approach to a potential turnover."
I mean, really? 4&5 are just obviously, demonstrably wrong. Like, WTF?
1-3, in a game where there were no calls at all until, what, deep into the third, could be expanded 20 fold for both teams.
In any case, high humor.
"Let me preface this by saying that the refs did NOT win this game for the Pats. But still...gee whiz. Help us out, here, zebras.
1. Hargraves was pulled down and literally gang tackled on the flea-flicker.
2. There were a couple of PI calls that weren't made and could have been.
3. Jesse James was blatantly held by Chung on a 3rd down play.
4. I am still not convinced, based on today's rules, that Rogers made enough of a football move for his fumble to be ruled as such. (And it didn't even seem to get reviewed.)
5. And the creme de la creme: the Brady fumble, which was a fumble, and which the refs never really bothered to determine possession anyway. I have never seen such a ho-hum approach to a potential turnover."
I mean, really? 4&5 are just obviously, demonstrably wrong. Like, WTF?
1-3, in a game where there were no calls at all until, what, deep into the third, could be expanded 20 fold for both teams.
In any case, high humor.
Can someone point this out:
Because it looks like he thinks it's a run and dives to the ground.
And on the PI calls, not even Nantz and Simms were bemoaning those, so whatever.
Most of the posts in that thread are somewhat reasonable bitching after your team was beat but yea that one is crazy.
1- I had no idea but looking at DrewDogs post I don't see anything that should have been called.
2-Yeah there were a couple of plays that could have been called but weren't, whatever.
3-If that is the play I am thinking about there was complaining that it could have been OPI because James was essentially blocking Chung as Chung was grabbing him. Either way the pass was completed for a first down so if that was called it would have been declined.
4- This is literally delusional.
5- This has been discussed here, in my opinion that is never overturned.
So the Jordan audible is two wide on one side and three wide on the other. 23. Sweet.
It looks like he overextends and losses balance (possibly slips) and that the Patriots just let him drop.
Honestly, I found most of this stuff to be enjoyable not because their fan base was delusional but because they were completely beaten. Of the four or five pages I read in two threads, including one that was complaining about the AFCCG, the vast majority of the posts were acknowledging that Brady was just the GOAT, that the Steelers had no chance and that was that.
Mentioned this in the game thread but people need to chill w the "Nantz hates the Pats!" thing. There were several plays in last night's game, including the Jordan and Blount run linked above, where he was legit excited by what the Pats were doing. I think, if anything, as an announcer, he just likes competitive games and, frankly, the Pats make that hard.
What're the five sweetest franchises to beat?
1. Ravens.
2. Colts.
3. Steelers.
4. Jets.
5. Seattle.
1. Ravens.
2. Colts.
3. Steelers.
4. Jets.
5. Seattle.
Any thoughts on the James White usage yesterday? Seemed like he took a bit of Lewis' role running between the tackles in spots where we dont usually see James White. Not sure if it was ball security related or the Steelers were using different personnel packages when White was on the field and it was game plan related.
The constant "cheatriots" mantra is cute. I particularly like the guy who says this Super Bowl will be among the lowest rated because people are sick and tired of watching the Cheatriots all the time.
Young pups on defense not up to it, even though the erudite Chris Collinsworth had pronounced them ready to go in the KC game. Some people are lamenting we'll miss his brilliance during the SB broadcast.
I'd put Seattle 1 because I enjoy wins against good teams more and they've had success against us. Too bad we don't get to play them more.
I forgot Broncos. I'll swap them out with Jets, because those are kind of a given lately.
On the Jones fumble, he barely got a 2nd foot down. So a Steelers fan can talk himself into it, but he still made enough of a football move despite that
"Waaaaah, the refs didn't call stuff that almost could have been called against the Patriots!!!"
Whining for calls that might could have been terrible calls (to benefit your team) is pretty, pretty bad. Bad look there.
Whining for calls that might could have been terrible calls (to benefit your team) is pretty, pretty bad. Bad look there.
I don't know. Enlarge the video, then right click on it and slow it down to .125
He takes enough steps, and starts to stiff arm a defender that it's not all that close for me.
It wasn't close at all. It was definitely a fumble. He took at least 2-3 steps with the ball secured.
And I believe shifting the ball from one arm to the other counts as his "football move".
Ninkovich's reaction there is so good. He's basically 9 yards away from the catch and is first to the ball.
Any whining about that play is letter of the law bullshit. He catches the ball with several feet of space around him, secures it, starts running, and loses it when the defender smacks it out of his hand. In a vacuum 100% of football fans say that's a fumble.
The only argument is the few occasions where referees have screwed up and called it incomplete and everyone in the world was pissed off at how stupid it was.
The only argument is the few occasions where referees have screwed up and called it incomplete and everyone in the world was pissed off at how stupid it was.
As long as we're complaining about the refs, can we point out that on one of the Patriots' two drives ending in punts in the game, they could have easily called a hold on Edelman on the third down play, and on the third down to Mitchell down the sidelines, had the refs signaled a catch it would have been almost impossible for it to be overturned on replay, so that's a 4 point swing on a borderline play. I'm not saying those were mistakes, I actually like that the refs let both teams play all day, as it should be in the playoffs, it's just that as long as we're going to blame the result on nitpicky bullshit, it should be pointed out that not every call went in the Pats' favor. It's ridiculous to whine about officiating when they were blown the fuck out. If the Pats needed 45 to win this game, they would still be heading to Houston.
The Steelers only TD drive when it still mattered came after a 3rd and 10 completion aided by Jesse James blocking his man 10 yards downfield with no attempt to run a route. I'm sure PIT fans were up in arms about that non-call too.
I'd drop Seattle for the Giants but the Patriots haven't done enough beating of those guys yet.
I also liked how he sort of slowed down and made sure he would secure the ball rather than diving on it over excitedly, which often leads to the ball squirting away.
The guy above was, I'm pretty sure that was #3 on his list saying it should have been holding on Chung.
Chung did grab him a bit but as you stated James wasn't running a pattern he was blocking.
I think the officiating environment and philosophy of how to call the game was good overall for the Patriots. But I don't think they called it unfairly for either team.
It was actually a really clean game, and I think at one point the officials probably thought, well, if they are going to play clean, we won't get in the way. There were a couple of places this helped the Patriots and a couple where it hurt them too. Like, I thought there were a couple of plays where the Steelers got a head start on blocking down field on passes. I think a let them play mentality is going to favor the teams that adjust and also the team that is in the lead.
It was actually a really clean game, and I think at one point the officials probably thought, well, if they are going to play clean, we won't get in the way. There were a couple of places this helped the Patriots and a couple where it hurt them too. Like, I thought there were a couple of plays where the Steelers got a head start on blocking down field on passes. I think a let them play mentality is going to favor the teams that adjust and also the team that is in the lead.
Nink just turns and runs when the ball is thrown. He has no idea if the pass is even complete but he just runs to where the ball is thrown. Great job of never giving up on a play.
Fumble was similar to the McCourty / McClellin fumble in the Miami game in that the ball came out so easily that it almost felt incomplete on first viewing
The play in question was later on—the throw to the sideline that James dropped and Nantz proclaimed "a diving catch!" Tomlin proceeded to punt on 4th and 7 from the Pats' 39 for some reason.
That play was a clear hold, even within the context of a game in which the refs were letting a lot go. Chung had a handful of jersey that slowed James out of his break. He probably could have been called for PI too (although this is more debatable) as he had the left arm pretty well wrapped around James right before the ball arrived.
Of course, complaining about the refs at all in a game you were down 27 in the fourth quarter is lololol.
Tomlin punting in that spot was awful given the game situation.
Refs called no OPI, no DPI, no illegal contact, no offensive holding, only one defensive holding (on Logan Ryan late in the third). Three of the five penalties called were procedural: the illegal touching penalty, an offside, and a false start. Safe to say they were letting a ton go. Definitely favored the Pats, as they play more physically in the secondary.
I didn't notice much difference in how they used him yesterday, he may even have had his role reduced some. IIRC there were a couple of plays designed to go to him that got blown up. He only had one rushing attempt, so I don't think he chipped into Lewis' role at all.
White outsnapped Lewis 29-17 and was on the field on early downs/red zone plays/with more run oriented personnel packages on the field. In recent weeks, Lewis had been outsnapping White handily (was 33-12 in the Texans game) and White had been playing almost exclusively in clear passing situations. I thought White had run the ball more than once, but guess I was mistaken there.
Me too. I'd love if they could take the Greatest Show on Turf gameplan out of the archives and beat the shit out of the receivers and RBs.
If you watch that game and come away with any other conclusion than the Patriots were the more talented, better coached team, I don't know what to tell you. And the idea that's not a fumble, I mean, get serious.
I do think they may have a point on the Brady fumble/non fumble on the sneak. I didn't really understand the ruling; was it that it was inconclusive? That Brady was down before teh ball came loose? Either way, seemed like the Pats caught a break there. Other than that, I mean, they blew the Steelers' doors off, it's not like this turned on a call one way or the other.
I do think they may have a point on the Brady fumble/non fumble on the sneak. I didn't really understand the ruling; was it that it was inconclusive? That Brady was down before teh ball came loose? Either way, seemed like the Pats caught a break there. Other than that, I mean, they blew the Steelers' doors off, it's not like this turned on a call one way or the other.
I assumed that play was one of the non-called PIs he was talking about but you are probably right.
No matter, there were calls that could have been made, they weren't and it didn't matter in the game.
Do they?
Both teams seemed pretty similar to me yesterday. A quick look at DPI and DH penalties show both teams with same amount.
Not saying the Pats aren't just not sure what you are basing it on?
The reply from the reverse angle made this absolutely clear. He catches the ball with both hands, facing upfield, stuff it under his arm as he turns to the side field. Then has it punched out. I literally said out loud "Football move" -- is there any move more of a "football move" than tucking the ball under your arm.