NFL Playoffs-Wildcard Weekend

[stevew]

Pacman has an epic rant on Instagram

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Burfict goes from hero to goat because of Hill's fumble.

Also, ya know, cause he's a world class fucktard.

[stevew]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAWK0zgEjmb/

[stevew]

Nsfw

[panerd]

Unbelievable though completely predictable ending. You love and die with the complete lack of discipline of this defense. Burfict is one talented piece of shit. Would like some explanation about jones though as Nancz and Simms seemed to be ok with the flag and no explanation. What exactly happened? For all I know it's completely deserved but the tape sure didn't show anything.

[rowech]

In thinking about the game more, I really think the coaching staffs of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have to knock this stuff off. You have coaches who don't have control and then coaches getting called for penalties and instigating things. Both franchises need to be called in by the NFL before start of next year and be told this isn't going to fly. It's like watching West Side Story waiting for somebody to get killed.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

I'm sure the local media will find some way to blame Andy Dalton.

AJ right now:

[SirFozzie]

So, to modify something I said earlier, the AFC Divisional QB's are: The Toradol-stuffed walking dead that is Ben Rothelisberger, Alex Smith, Tom Brady with a busted wheel and a zombie Offensive line, and the Decaying Corpse of Peyton Manning. Um. wow.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by stevew

Pacman has an epic rant on Instagram

Is that the real PacMan? If so, he's right the ref did a horrible job-should have throw you and Burfict out of the game and didn't. I'm sure you'll get some time off after that rant, though the Players Union will probably fight for you in court and win

[rowech]

Deion Sanders says Burfict call should not have been called.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Is that the real PacMan? If so, he's right the ref did a horrible job-should have throw you and Burfict out of the game and didn't. I'm sure you'll get some time off after that rant, though the Players Union will probably fight for you in court and win

For what exactly? Would love to hear what he did.

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Is that the real PacMan? If so, he's right the ref did a horrible job-should have throw you and Burfict out of the game and didn't. I'm sure you'll get some time off after that rant, though the Players Union will probably fight for you in court and win

He'd probably get a more lenient penalty if he shot somebody. Oh wait..

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by rowech

Deion Sanders says Burfict call should not have been called.

of course he does.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by panerd

For what exactly? Would love to hear what he did.

He went after Porter, a Steelers assistant coach on the field. Look at the Instagram rant I linked to where he screams about the ref.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

of course he does.

James Harrison said it shouldn't be a penalty.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by stevew

He went after Porter, a Steelers assistant coach on the field. Look at the Instagram rant I linked to where he screams about the ref.

I saw the rant, I can imagine knowing what a class act porter was as a player he was just on the field supporting brown and wishing the bengals players a good game. Complete lack of control by both sidelines.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by rowech

James Harrison said it shouldn't be a penalty.

I stand corrected then LOL.

[rowech]

Their reasoning is the WR put his head down and the WR turned and hit him with his shoulder and not his head.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

I'm sure the local media will find some way to blame Andy Dalton.

Nope.

[Kodos]

Wow. Bengals players and fans got what they deserved. Complete idiots. And Burfict should get a nice suspension. What an out of control asshole.

(Just the fans that were cheering Roethlisberger's injury. The other fans I feel sorry for.)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by rowech

Deion Sanders says Burfict call should not have been called.

And pretty much everyone felt Sanders sounded like an idiot.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

AJ right now:

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by rowech

In thinking about the game more, I really think the coaching staffs of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati have to knock this stuff off. You have coaches who don't have control and then coaches getting called for penalties and instigating things. Both franchises need to be called in by the NFL before start of next year and be told this isn't going to fly. It's like watching West Side Story waiting for somebody to get killed.

They did that before the game this week. The refs calling the game as tight as they did just made it that much worse imo.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

And pretty much everyone felt Sanders sounded like an idiot.

To be fair, it wouldn't have been called in 1995 when Sanders played. Times have changed though, know your limits today, not yesterday.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by stevew

WHY CANT THEY EJECT SOMEONE FOR FUCKS SAKE

This was seriously one of the worst things I have ever seen on a football field. The saddest part is how unsurprising any of this was.

I'm watching the game with my father and I said after the hit on the Bengals running back that I would bet money that Burfect would do something stupid and cost the Bengals the game. I figured after they took the lead he would calm down. Nope. Dumb is dumb is dumb.

The NFL needs to go to a college type targeting ejection rule and also a two unsportsmanlike/late hit penalties ejection system. We clearly cannot rely on the refs to control games when they need to.

Some other quick notes:

1) The Bryant catch was amazing.
2) Watching the Bengals fans not only cheer at Ben's injury, but throw things at him made my stomach turn.
3) I was impressed at Macarron tonight. He fought. He deserved better from his teammates.
4) It is going to be interesting to see who the Steelers come into Denver with. Ben? Brown? That is going to be one beat up football team.

[Abe Sargent]

I'm trying to find it again, but I recall reading a story yesterday by a Bengals coach, can't recall who, basically saying that they didn't need Burflit to be a nice guy, but someone who as angry and played with a chip on his shoulder. This was after Buflict provided some serous locker room junk for Pittsburgh this week.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

Some other quick notes:

1) The Bryant catch was amazing.
2) Watching the Bengals fans not only cheer at Ben's injury, but throw things at him made my stomach turn.
3) I was impressed at Macarron tonight. He fought. He deserved better from his teammates.
4) It is going to be interesting to see who the Steelers come into Denver with. Ben? Brown? That is going to be one beat up football team.

3. McCarron is a talent. No question. He sees the field well and throws a damn good ball.
4. I don't think they'll have anything left after this game. Even without the injuries.

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by rowech

Their reasoning is the WR put his head down and the WR turned and hit him with his shoulder and not his head.

That was one of the most obvious, late and unnecessary targeting plays I have ever seen. You could get Christ to come back to earth and say it wasn't a penalty and he'd be wrong. If the NFL made a video for the court case and wanted a single play to say "this is what we are trying to cut out to stop players getting concussions" it would have that play.

[rowech]

I want to go to bed but I can't. I just keep getting more and more upset at losing like that. I feel like this team is going to implode now and they missed their window. Too many free agents, more coordinator change, etc.

To know they had the talent to be a legitimate super bowl team and to have it continually end like this and this being the absolute worst one yet...need to give up on ever being happy in life or the Bengals at this point. Why do we do this to ourselves by being fans? It's stupid.

[Solecismic]

All I know is that if I tried to include that in a simulation, I'd lose all my customers.

Though I think I might strengthen the connection between red flag players and 15-yard penalties, just because no one has ever asked me about it (it would probably help if penalties were assigned to individual players).

Crazy game. Don't know if I liked it or hated it. Roethlisberger deserves respect. I think Denver ended up winning.

[Abe Sargent]

Let's also not forget that Burfect had the hit on La'Von Bell that injured him, and then was threatened on Twitter by a Steelers player as well. Whole thing is crazy. Steelers were celebrating injuries to Bengals players on teh turf earlier this year too. Both teams here have acted badly whole year, but still no excuse for Burflict to get that outside the lines.

[stevew]

Denver should easily be 7 point favorites, more if Ben and Brown are out

[AlexB]

Just seen the highlights of the Bengals match, without knowing anything about the game at all. Great second half, but wow, the Bengals have a great self-destruct button. Unbelievable.

[cougarfreak]

I think the whole thing spun out of control with the hit #50 put on Bernard with the crown of his helmet, and wasn't called, then reviewed, and ruled as a fumble. If you're going to have a rule to review that play as a fumble, and the fumble was caused by an illegal hit, then why not be able to rule on the illegal hit? That hit was much dirtier than the one they called on the Bengal safety who hit the Steeler receiver with his shoulder, after three steps, and the receiver lowering his head to hit him. When that call wasn't made on the Steelers, all bets were off. Burfict's hit? Illegal, penalty, eject him, 15 yd. Adam Jones? I think he had one other incident this year where he hit a guy on the field, other than that, he's been pretty good with his behavior. I still haven't seen what Jones did to get that penalty (CBS conveniently never showed that), but all that being said, I'm done with the NFL. It's a complete joke who rule are arbitrarily enforced, not enforced. The whole system has turned into a complete joke.

Whose fault is it the Bengals lost? Their own..........having Jeremy "Fumbleruski" Hill in the game carrying the ball (and I use that term loosely, like he carries the ball) in that situation is classic, unprepared, deer in the headlights, Marvin Lewis. In no way shape or form should he be anywhere near the field. Hell, he's not even on the hands team for onside kickoffs. And you know who would have been on the field? Bernard. Combine that with the pathetic attempt at the 2 pt. conversion (without Green, their best receiver on the field) and you see nothing but unpreparedness. But the Bengals didn't know what to do with him out, so they put Hill on the field.

[miked]

I still don't understand why Pacman got a 15 yard penalty? Because he got in to a tussle with a "coach" who should not have been on the field? The Burfict penalty was more than justified, but the refs gave PIT the game with that second BS call. I mean, with 15 seconds left and a 45 yard FG or so, you call a ticky tacky dead ball PF to give the team a 30 yarder?? Horrible discipline by the Bengals, even worse game performance by the refs.

[PilotMan]

Steelers-Bengals was simultaneously all of the arguments for and against the NFL.
— Barry Petchesky (@barryap1)

Really couldn't have said it any better.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by miked

I still don't understand why Pacman got a 15 yard penalty? Because he got in to a tussle with a "coach" who should not have been on the field? The Burfict penalty was more than justified, but the refs gave PIT the game with that second BS call. I mean, with 15 seconds left and a 45 yard FG or so, you call a ticky tacky dead ball PF to give the team a 30 yarder?? Horrible discipline by the Bengals, even worse game performance by the refs.

Jones pushed a ref during the exchange. The flag came out just after it happened.

[henry296]

Originally Posted by rowech

James Harrison said it shouldn't be a penalty.

What Harrison said was he didn't think it should be a penalty because of the speed of the game, but by the rules it was a penalty.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

Adam Jones? I think he had one other incident this year where he hit a guy on the field, other than that, he's been pretty good with his behavior.

Umm ...

Pacman Jones rips off Amari Cooper's helmet, slams his head on it - CBSSports.com

[miked]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Jones pushed a ref during the exchange. The flag came out just after it happened.

Still a ticky tacky call. Porter was on the field antagonizing players and got in to it with Jones. The ref got in the middle during a scuffle and it looks like Jones made contact with him (surprising since he was moving Jones away while the scuffle was ongoing). That 15 yards gave them the game much more easier. The kicker may have still hit a 45 yarder, but likely the Steelers would have run one more play. Either way, stupid hit from Burfict, but the refs gave them the game with that penalty.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Umm ...

Pacman Jones rips off Amari Cooper's helmet, slams his head on it - CBSSports.com

Same thing I said last time this got posted -- make sure it shows that Cooper punches him in the throat to start it off.

[rowech]

Add Marshall Faulk to the it shouldn't have been a penalty crowd. I really do wonder not whether it would have or would not have been a penalty but how much of the fact that it was Burfict that drew it. Do officials go in watching certain players more closely than others?

Dwight Freeney calls out Porter being allowed to do what he did and somehow the NFL is going to fine him.

The NFL just has double standards. I'm not saying games are "fixed" but certain teams get benefits of the doubt and others don't.

[miked]

Not to mention the illegal hit on Bernard (which the Steelers were celebrating) was not called. This game was so horribly inconsistent it was annoying to watch and probably got the stupid ending it deserved.

[SlyBelle1]

Games are not fixed and the refs didn't give it a way.....Steelers had 10 penalties for 142 yards in the game. Just like any game every Sunday, some calls go one way, while others go the other way. Plenty of questionable calls have happened to the Steelers throughout the year and I am sure every team can say that about themselves.

Was the hit on Benard a penalty....probably...but seems like the "experts" have debated whether he was defenseless or a runner at that point. I could go either way on this one.

Was the hit on Brown by Burfict a penalty, I am not sure why that is even a question. He took multiple steps and lowered his shoulder into his head. And even if on accident or because of the speed, it is a penalty by the rules which teams get called throughout the year.

Was the penalty on Jones justified? If what is being reported is true (he bumped the ref and verbally abused), then absolutely it was a penalty, regardless of when it happens in the game.

Should Porter/Steelers been penalized for being on the field? Probably should have been offsetting fouls between the teams.

In every game there is questionable calls, which go for and against your team....this game was no different. Just happened to happen at the end of the game. But questionable calls earlier in the season or even earlier in the game can have impacts too.

Bottom-line is Cincinnati did not get it done again and they have nobody to blame but themselves. Hold on to the football....game over.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by SlyBelle1

Was the hit on Benard a penalty....probably...but seems like the "experts" have debated whether he was defenseless or a runner at that point. I could go either way on this one.

I don't understand how you can even say probably. It's not about defenseless wr, it's spearing because he lowered his head and led with helmet to the head. It's a personal foul.

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by SlyBelle1

Bottom-line is Cincinnati did not get it done again and they have nobody to blame but themselves. Hold on to the football....game over.

+1

[SlyBelle1]

Originally Posted by rowech

I don't understand how you can even say probably. It's not about defenseless wr, it's spearing because he lowered his head and led with helmet to the head. It's a personal foul.

As I said probably because the proposed experts analyzing the game seemed divided on the definition and what happened. If by consensus rule proven to be a penalty, then I would agree it should have been a penalty.

Regardless, how many calls like that happen every week in the NFL? They are never going to get them 100% right under the current rules and even with instant replay they likely will screw some of them up as well.

I get mad when calls go against my team as well...but it is part of the game for every team.....its not because the refs have fixed the game. There usually is lot more to it.

[SlyBelle1]

And this further just adds to it....the player/team does not want to take any responsibility for their actions.....just saw what Jones said about Brown faking the injury. Really? Faking? The man's arms went straight out and body went limp after taking a big hit to the head. But Jones would rather make it about someone or something else versus his own team's actions. Was Bernard faking too?

“Man, that [expletive] was [expletive] acting. He flopped. He needs a [expletive] Academy Award for that performance,” Jones said.

[Solecismic]

If the NFL wants to remain viable, something has to be done to ensure that we don't have any more hits like the ones on Bernard and Brown.

I don't feel comfortable, knowing that lives are shortened and the quality of life often made miserable by the effects of repeated concussions. And, knowing the determination of these players, I suspect that at least half of the concussions, even today, go undetected or unreported.

It's hard to enjoy the game when I think of how Junior Seau essentially sacrificed his post-career life to play at the level he played.

Shazier clearly lowered his head and hit Bernard in the jaw. Because Bernard wasn't in a defenseless position, this type of hit is rarely flagged and those idiot announcers celebrated it.

But it wasn't a legal hit under the rules and it is *exactly* the type of hit the NFL has to eliminate if we're going to have an NFL even 20 years from now. If not, at some point youth and high school football will become too expensive to insure and elite athletes will choose lacrosse or basketball or synchronized curling for all I know.

That doesn't excuse Burfict, who was a train looking to wreck in the fourth quarter. I hope Bernard and Brown are OK. I can really admire Roethlisberger for coming back when he knew he was limited and must have been in a lot of pain. But the NFL absolutely has to take some leadership on this lowering-the-head and sticking someone issue.

[SlyBelle1]

Originally Posted by Solecismic

If the NFL wants to remain viable, something has to be done to ensure that we don't have any more hits like the ones on Bernard and Brown.

I don't feel comfortable, knowing that lives are shortened and the quality of life often made miserable by the effects of repeated concussions. And, knowing the determination of these players, I suspect that at least half of the concussions, even today, go undetected or unreported.

It's hard to enjoy the game when I think of how Junior Seau essentially sacrificed his post-career life to play at the level he played.

Shazier clearly lowered his head and hit Bernard in the jaw. Because Bernard wasn't in a defenseless position, this type of hit is rarely flagged and those idiot announcers celebrated it.

But it wasn't a legal hit under the rules and it is *exactly* the type of hit the NFL has to eliminate if we're going to have an NFL even 20 years from now. If not, at some point youth and high school football will become too expensive to insure and elite athletes will choose lacrosse or basketball or synchronized curling for all I know.

That doesn't excuse Burfict, who was a train looking to wreck in the fourth quarter. I hope Bernard and Brown are OK. I can really admire Roethlisberger for coming back when he knew he was limited and must have been in a lot of pain. But the NFL absolutely has to take some leadership on this lowering-the-head and sticking someone issue.

I am in agreement that dangerous hits need to be eliminated and both hits were certainly dangerous. I just don't believe the refs purposely fixed the game in deciding to call one penalty and not the other as some people have suggested. Inconsistency in officiating happens all the time and that was not the only thing that cost the Bengals this game.