NFL Postseason Megathread: Playoffs in the Post-Orton Era

[dps]

Some of those passes looked so bad, I was kinda wondering if there was some sort of injury involved.

E:  Well alrighty then.  Torn right quad for the last month according to Schefter. 

Yeah, just saw that on Espn.com.  Explains a lot.

John Fox isn't the Broncos coach anymore: http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasyfootball/update/24957886/report-broncos-coach-john-fox-parting-ways

E:  I know what he said, and I think he's best as an OC, but I wonder if Kubes could resist going back to Denver if they were to ask.

Might depend on what his relationship with Elway is like nowdays.  Of course, if it's not at least cordial, I'd think they wouldn't ask.

[jimmy olsen]

Rex Ryan should have gone to Atlanta. Buffalo doesn't need a defensive head coach, their defense is already great. Ryan has shown no ability to coach up a quarterback and improve the offense. He should go to a team with a good offense and build up the defense. This move is just playing to his strengths without mitigating his weaknesses. I predict the same trajectory that the Jets went on, two years of success followed by a collapse.

[dps]

Rex Ryan should have gone to Atlanta. Buffalo doesn't need a defensive head coach, their defense is already great. Ryan has shown no ability to coach up a quarterback and improve the offense. He should go to a team with a good offense and build up the defense. This move is just playing to his strengths without mitigating his weaknesses. I predict the same trajectory that the Jets went on, two years of success followed by a collapse.

He shouldn't be a HC, period.  He's strictly DC material, just like his dad.  Making them head coaches is an excellent illustration of the Peter Principle.

[CountDeMoney]

He shouldn't be a HC, period.  He's strictly DC material, just like his dad.  Making them head coaches is an excellent illustration of the Peter Principle.

Exactly.  Now it's going to be really annoying, because I actually like Buffalo.   

[Neil]

He seems to have done alright as a head coach.  His main fault seems to be that he couldn't find a franchise QB.  It's not like he's alone there.  There are coaches with rings who shared that quality.

[alfred russel]

Fullbacks rock.

I doubt he had much to worry about from hypothermia. A nine mile swim generates a lot of body heat. There are endurance swimmers that swim in some really frigid waters for that reason.

What a badass. I imagine if I ended up overboard 9 miles offshore, I'd get quite a sinking feeling.

[Valmy]

Helluva catch/non-catch that got called back.  Guess he shouldn't have reached for the endzone like that.

I miss the 1980s, where the ground could not cause a fumble.

That wasn't a fumble.  Maybe that was a joke but damn it pissed me off all the time when Musburger would be all 'the ground cannot cause a fumble!' on an incomplete pass.  Um pretty sure the ground can cause a pass to be incomplete.

My point was, the rulings were easier to make back then, when there were none of the silly ass "process of the catch" rules and other assorted nonsense involving the ground or "football move" interpretations. 

Wasn't familiar with this rule but having gone and read it - CDM has a good point here; the rule as written  is rather vague, not very bright-line, and calls for judgment. 

Still better than the Tuck Rule.

[derspiess]

I'd like to see the Packers beat the Colts in the Super Bowl.  Or the Colts beat the Packers; not that picky.

[Ed Anger]

I'd like to see AJ Hawk break Brady into several pieces.

[CountDeMoney]

Still better than the Tuck Rule.

If the league can't find a rule to benefit the Patriots, they will invent one.

[citizen k]

I'd like to see the Packers beat the Colts in the Super Bowl.  Or the Colts beat the Packers; not that picky.

However, neither team is likely to make it past next Sunday.

[jimmy olsen]

I'd like to see the Packers beat the Colts in the Super Bowl.  Or the Colts beat the Packers; not that picky.

However, neither team is likely to make it past next Sunday.

While I expect both favorites to win, I'd say an upset by the Packers is more likely, but in the playoffs any team that's made it this far is capable of winning.

[CountDeMoney]

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Gary Kubiak will not interview for any head coaching openings and will remain the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator in 2015.

Apparently the recent job opening in Denver suddenly changes things for Gary.   

[CountDeMoney]

Good for the Jets.  Nice to see a fresh name in the NFL head coach rotisserie.

Jets to hire Todd Bowles as head coach, Mike Maccagnan as general manager

Gang Green intends to hire Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to a four-year deal as their head coach, according to sources.

Bowles, a hot candidate that garnered interest from multiple teams, had his second interview with the Jets on Tuesday and then dined with owner Woody Johnson, GM Mike Maccagnan, and consultants Charley Casserly and Ron Wolf, according to a source. Maccagnan was in on the interview with Bowles as well.

He had been scheduled to fly out for a second interview with the Falcons on Wednesday morning, according to a source, a trip he now clearly won't be making.

Bowles has been the Cardinals defensive coordinator for the past two seasons, helping to post top-10 rankings in fewest points allowed in both of those seasons. The Cardinals were ranked 24th in total defense this season, however.

He joins Maccagnan, hired earlier on Tuesday, as a New Jersey pairing to lead a New Jersey team. Bowles is a native of Elizabeth, N.J., while Maccagnan hails from Highstown, N.J.

Bowles, 51 had an eight-year playing career with Washington and the 49ers, and part of his time in Washington came while Casserly was the GM there. Bowles spent one season as the secondary coach with the Jets in 2000 under Al Groh.

Bowles had been one of the favorites to land the Jets job along with Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Had the team wanted to hire Quinn, however, they would have had to wait until Seattle's season was over and even then there was no guarantee they would have gotten Quinn given the level of interest in him.

Earlier on Tuesday the team made the almost inevitable official: that Maccagnan would be the team's next GM.

"We interviewed a number of impressive, qualified candidates, but Mike Maccagnan clearly stood out," owner Woody Johnson said in a statement. "Mike's attention to detail, strong personnel background and collaborative approach to evaluating players made it clear that he is the right choice to be the next General Manager of the New York Jets."

Maccagnan was the only general manager candidate to receive a second interview and had remained in New Jersey since that second interview last Friday.

[MadBurgerMaker]

I wonder if the Texans will promote one of their current scout type dudes to replace him or if they'll go out and get someone new.

E: Maccagnan I mean.