I don't agree with this at all. There would be a standard number that all teams would converge to, with only slight variations based on the team involved. The same number would be used about 90% of the time.

My guess would be exhaustion. You play in the playoffs with a little extra "juice", and by the time you get to an overtime period (heck, the late fourth quarter) the defense is completely gassed.

And anyone who didn't use that number would get roasted in the post game presser if it blew up

SI

I have a half baked theory and I think the defensive strategies of both the Bills and the Bucs on the last drive of the 4th quarters of their respective games illustrate my thinking. Whether the thinking is right or not is another thing.

Defensively on the first possession of overtime, the only thing that beats you is a field goal. I could see a defense playing a bit more conservatively and forcing the offense to drive down the field little by little. Either the defense will stop them altogether or if they do get into the red zone, the field is compressed enough to be more aggressive to force the offense to not score a TD. The field goal is almost considered a given. I think this was the Bills' thinking on the last drive of the 4th quarter on Sunday. Though not in overtime, the TD was the only thing that was stopping that game from going to overtime.

On the other hand, I could see a defense being super aggressive to provide their offense with a short field or even better to get a turnover and end the game themselves.* Of course that leaves them open to the big play TD to end the game. Cue Todd Bowles blitzing at the end of that game. Obviously a field goal could beat them but I think you get my point

Playoff offenses don't have either issue to worry about. They are going all out for the TD and will only settle for a FG if they have to.

* I don't want to give up on the idea that the defenses are helpless in these situations.

totally agree...weddle launched into that "football move" while the ball was live, so it should have been treated as a live penalty, not a dead ball.

with all the replay angles it is easy enough to see if the hit was initiated as part of the play or after the ball was actually dead and should be a late hit

Awesome, more judgement calls that need replay to determine and then would still be ambiguous.

Yep, this is what I meant. You're playing the Chiefs and win the toss, meaning you get to choose line of scrimmage. Do you stick with the conventional number? You'll get roasted in the media if you do. So you push them back, but how far back? The 1-yard-line? If you've got the Bills offence, maybe. But if you have a worse offence but say a strong defence, do you do that and risk the Chiefs saying take the ball?

The choice is bound to be questioned and you just know some coaches will mess it up royally.

If Shanahan manages to get this team to another Super Bowl, he’s definitely the king of this new crop of young offensive coaches, right? That would be super impressive for an offensive coach with a QB that everyone agrees is pretty limited.

Maybe that title is already his, but perhaps if the Rams dazzle us this weekend, that's back in play.

I re-created the epic final minutes of the Chiefs-Bills divisional round playoff game in the style of the 8-bit video game Tecmo Super Bowl. 😳 pic.twitter.com/xf8feKoBVG

— Benstonium (@Benstonium) January 26, 2022

All that is missing is the person controlling the Bills screming "The game cheatin'!" and throwing the controller across the room.

Can I be slightly annoyed that the running plays had the wrong names under them?

SI

This is the content I come here for.

You're not the only one.

The pass animation was funky too. I feel like this was making a Techmo-like video rather than actually playing the game, which seems like cheating.

The Montreal Gazette wins the day.

The last active Montreal Expos draft pick is reportedly set to retire https://t.co/REXuErB53z pic.twitter.com/BztTQBR2ST

— Montreal Gazette (@mtlgazette) January 29, 2022

Tom Brady was the last NFL player that's older than me. :(

Patriots fans are hoping this was one big revenge job from Brady to ESPN regarding deflategate, but it sounds mostly like the news just got out early.

I hope Brady comes back another year just to spite ESPN

I don't really mind who wins today, though seeing SF and CIN take out the favorites certainly appeals to me

...and I tend to drift the opposite way. I have a mild-to-medium "anti-playoffs" streak in me, and about this time, I tend to root for justice, rather than the hot hand. I philosophically dislike it when a team that powered through a months-long season and established true dominance ends up getting nipped by a plucky underdog and gets sent packing. I know that having playoffs inures to my benefit as a viewer and fan, and is the reason why we sometimes get what happened last weekend, but I still at some point root for the just deserts, in the positive sense.

The NFC with a #4 vs #6 seed doesn't feel that way, but the AFC still does to me. Sure, the Chiefs are annoying and familiar and were far from perfect this year, but... while I rooted against them last weekend, I think I'm quietly rooting for them (and the Rams) to reassert their proper dominance this weekend, as a sort of "set things right" outcome.

Bills/Chiefs was so good that I realized I am subconsciously not really psyched about today’s games. Like some weird sense that I pretty much already watched the two best teams go at it, and anything after this will just be disappointment.

huge +1 here

My ranked Super Bowl matchups:

1. Rams v Chiefs - two best teams in my opinion
2. 49ers v Bengals - historical Super Bowl rematch
3. Rams v Bengals - nothing really to say on this one
4. 49ers v Chiefs - just saw this two years ago

I won't be upset if the Bengals lose, but I'm certainly pulling for them to win. I said when the playoffs began that they can beat anybody and they've already beat the Chiefs once.

Regardless, it's the most excited I've been about the franchise in a long time. This feels like the beginning of a ten-year period where they can compete every year.

Without a dog in any of these fights, I could find myself happy for any of the potential outcomes.

1. I'd be happy to see Joe Burrow cement his place in the ranks of this generation's top-tier young QBs.
2. I wouldn't mind Mahomes getting another ring and becoming the juggernaut-I-will-eventually-hate.
3. I sort of like the idea of a Matthew Stafford redemption arc, so I'd be happy for him.
4. And it wouldn't kill me if Jimmy G. pulled a Trent Dilfer and game-managed his way to a title. I feel like he's underappreciated.

Outside of the QBs, all of these teams have supporting cast guys that have been solid contributors for who I'd be happy to get a ring sometime before they retire. (Kittle, Kupp, Mixon, etc.)

So I'm fine any way it turns out, since everybody I'm sick of seeing has already been bounced.

I think I've got a secret favorite in KC, just because I like watching Mahomes play so much, but all of the storylines are appealing in their own way, which just leaves me hoping for fun games to watch.

I can agree with all of this except 4.

Actually, if I could trust that everyone would agree that he was pulling a Trent Dilfer, I would be all on board. However, way too many people are going to look at Jimmy G. beating Prescott, Rodgers, Stafford and either Mahomes or Burrow on the road and come to a different conclusion.

I don't agree with the premise. There are elements of manager in Garoppolo, but the criticism is that he will take too many chances, even on plays that should be lower in risk. Overall, he completes a high percentage of his passes and puts the ball in where his receivers can move. His good throws are often great throws.

What that adds up to, in my opinion, is a slightly better than average starter who can thrive in the right system. We do not know, yet, how he will do in a system that requires a quarterback to sometimes take on a huge load. The fact that he was valued so much in New England suggests that maybe he can handle it.

Dilfer was a thoroughly below-average starter who happened to play (only one year - intended as a backup, they knew better) a team with a fantastic defense (the average score in the games he started for Baltimore was 26-8). He was so bad in relief of Tony Banks in 2000 that by the time the playoffs rolled around, they mostly handed the ball to rookie Jamal Lewis (103 rushing attempts in the four playoff games). It really didn't matter. Ravens' opponents scored 23 points in the playoffs, period. None of the games were close.

Garoppolo would have thrown more last week if it weren't a weather game, and he is throwing in key situations in close games. I think he gets a bum rap, but he has to cut down on the picks if he wants to ever be considered among the top tier quarterbacks.

I kind of want SF to win it all so we can watch all the drama in the offseason as they have to decide between giving Jimmy G an extension, trading for Rodgers or Brady, or cutting bait completely and planning to start Trey Lance next year.

Reverse jinx….

I think this game is over.

Higgins had to catch that TD.

Hard to do that with the defender holding your arm.

Not really rooting for or against anyone. Just want good football (on both sides of the ball).

Good season. Great future.

But the problem on both lines are killing them today.

wow the bengals just plain suck

you think brady announcing retirement is just an act for more $$$?

i don't care about football but decided to turn on the bengals...

omg what is happening? Can someone explain this? Why is it the bengals can't tackle anyone...can't catch anyone...can't cover any receiver?

Is it 13 vs 10 or something?

He should have gone down at the 1. Now this is going to net them at best 4 points.

We’re getting commercials for Super Bowl commercials.

Cincy just ran the kick-off Buffalo should have used. Ran 4 seconds off.

lol

I was going to post that the stupid ads seems to be creeping sooner and sooner in the year, like bad Christmas decor at a dollar store. That Peyton/Eli/Bettis commercial is an abomination.

Seems to have made all the difference :D

Got lucky. That should have cost them 3 points.

Can’t believe that just happened.

Is everyone else getting that damn Applebees song over the halftime show?

Edit: I'm cracking up during this halftime show.

what happened with the kick that you're talking about. I stopped watching

Man that was the quickest halftime ever :)

pfff guy hugs him then throws a fit when they call interference on him? when did football become like basketball?

Stop running the ball on first down!