NFL Postseason Megathread: Playoffs in the Post-Orton Era

[Liep]

I should start watching NFL again (a bit late now I guess). The only thing I remember from when I lived in NYC is that I didn't like the Pats.

That's pretty much still the consensus.

[crazy canuck]

One of the best playoff games I've ever seen. Super competitive and beautifully played.

You stayed up to watch the Seahawks play?

[crazy canuck]

Tim, what the fuck are you doing?

He is making the point that the Pats had to resort to a trick play to defeat a superior team.

[Neil]

He's playing with fire.

[crazy canuck]

He's playing with fire.

And deserves disrespect.

[dps]

Cheer up!

http://www.sportingnews.com/photos/4610308-retro-nfl-cheerleaders-1980s-dallas-cowboys-philadelphia-eagles-san-francisco-49ers-oakland-raiders/slide/282460

The 49er's cheerleader look more like there from the 50s than the 80s or 90s.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Rodgers looks mildly gimpy, but they rolled right down the field on their first drive.  Nice way to start the game.  Lacy already has like 50 rushing yards.

[CountDeMoney]

John Harbaugh: Pats' substitutions deceptive, illegal
By Chris Wesseling
Around the NFL Writer

Patriots coach Bill Belichick reached deep into his bag of football tricks and came up with a four-man offensive line that had Ravens coach John Harbaugh crying foul after New England's thrilling 35-31 victory in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Counteracting a ferocious first-half pass rush, the Patriots called a change-up in the third quarter, aligning four blockers on the line of scrimmage with another player checking in as an ineligible receiver.

Harbaugh believes the Patriots should have been penalized for the "deceptive" substitutions utilized on those plays.

"It's not something that anybody has ever done before," Harbaugh said. "They're an illegal type of a thing and I'm sure that (the league will) make some adjustments and things like that."

The Ravens' main complaint was they weren't given enough notice that the player was not eligible, Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning. They were given some notice -- and it was announced in the stadium -- but the Ravens felt it wasn't enough. To review, the referees will go through the game Sunday and look at the mechanics like always.

Tom Brady countered in typical Patriots fashion, saying "maybe those guys gotta study the rule book and figure it out. We obviously knew what we were doing and we made some pretty important plays. It was a real good weapon for us. Maybe we'll have something in store next week."

On one play, running back Shane Vereen didn't alert the officials to his ineligibility until just before the snap.

"We wanted an opportunity to be able to identify who the eligible players were," Harbaugh explained, "because what they were doing was they would announce the eligible player and Tom (Brady) would take it to the line right away and snap the ball before (we) even figured out who was lined up where. And that was the deception part of it. It was clearly deception.

"The officials told me after that they would give us the opportunity to do that, which they probably should have done during that series but they really didn't understand what was happening. I had to go take the penalty to get their attention so they can understand what was going on."[/b]

The Patriots can't be penalized retroactively for a new play introduced by their coaching staff this week. Even if the competition committee sides with Harbaugh and eventually outlaws the tactic, Belichick can take solace in the fact that it helped him to the biggest playoff comeback victory in franchise history.

[CountDeMoney]

Per various reporters, ESPN's Adam Schefter first among them, the Buffalo Bills are on the verge of making Rex Ryan their next head coach. He'll reportedly sign a five-year deal today.

Now that's a real shame.   

[dps]

Per various reporters, ESPN's Adam Schefter first among them, the Buffalo Bills are on the verge of making Rex Ryan their next head coach. He'll reportedly sign a five-year deal today.

Now that's a real shame.   

Guess Orton retired just in time.  E.J. Manuel probably should just go ahead and shoot himself to avoid 5 years of misery.

[MadBurgerMaker]

This "Ice Bowl II" shit being pushed by Fox is just stupid. 

[Neil]

Fox... stupid.

That's how they do.  They're the worst of the five NFL shows, and for very good reason.

[MadBurgerMaker]

  This game isn't going well.  Rodgers is looking like his calf is getting worse and worse, and the GB defense can't stop holding WRs.

E:  That turnover helps things significantly. 

That's how they do.  They're the worst of the five NFL shows, and for very good reason.

Good point.

[Neil]

Fucking Suh.  It's all his fault.

Man, the Patriots win, and if the Cowboys win, that would be one of the biggest disasters ever to hit the NFL.

[MadBurgerMaker]

Dallas vs. New England is the ultimate NFL meteor game.