NFL 2008

[JWIV]

I wrote stuff here

Edit: If that really is the rule, it's fucking retarded and most of the NFL writers I read, the post game, and Sports Center didn't get it right after the fact.

I thought the ball had to break the plane in addition to 2 feet down and possession.  The breaking the plane part I didn't see indisputable proof of. 

Edit #2: How can you do a replay to clarify a rule? Do you put the rule book under the booth?

So did Coleman, which is why he said after the game  that the ball crossed the plane and that the feet being down was simply a matter of establishing possession. 

Sadly though, he was right in spite of himself unless this particular rule got changed (which I don't believe it did)

From the actual 2006 rulebook (couldn't find the 2008)  Found the 2008 rulebook.


Rule 11 Scoring
Article 1 It is a touchdown (3-38):
(a) the ball is on, above, or behind the plane of the opponent’s goal line and is in possession
of a runner who has advanced from the field of play; or
(b) a ball in possession of an airborne runner is on, above, or behind the plane of the
goal line, and some part of the ball was passed over or inside the pylon; or
(c) a ball in player possession touches the pylon, provided that no part of the player’s
body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon; or
(d) Any player who is legally inbounds catches or recovers a loose ball (3-2-3) on or behind
the opponent’s goal line; or
(e) The Referee awards a touchdown to a team that has been denied one by a palpably
unfair act.
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES

[Murgos]

The ref said clearly, during the call, that the player was in the end zone and had two feet on the ground and was in possession of the ball so it was a touch down.

I distinctly remember the booth announcers going about how that didn't make a difference it was the location of the ball and etc...

HAY, guess wat?   The booth announcers got it wrong.

[Rasix]

And the various writers and TV personalities continue to be wrong.  Just an odd rule.

In other news, Peyton Manning is a good football player.

[Murgos]

In other news, Peyton Manning is a good football player.

Why yes, yes he is.  Switching to him from Big Ben turned my season around.

[Ozzu]

The Cowboys proceed to rip my guts out again this year. What a disappointing season. I mean, they still have a shot at the playoffs, but they sure as hell don't deserve it.

The offense plays like baked ass for 3 quarters and the defense does alright. Then in the 4th quarter, the offense comes to life and the defense folds in back to back 75+ yard TD run plays.

I'm going to puke. 

[Paelos]

The defense lost that game for the Cowboys. Romo played like shit early for sure, but he redeemed himself in the second half while the rest of the defense continued to suck. 5 Forced fumbles and they recover ONE? If you recover just two fumbles there, the Cowboys win. If you don't let up TWO long rushing TDs when you absolutely had to stop them, the Cowboys win. If you don't completely fall over in the last 5 minutes as a defense, THE COWBOYS WIN.

Morons.

[JWIV]

On the upside, we get to hear about Romo choking in the big game now for yet another off season.     


Also - the running plays were brutal and will surely be on Sportscenter all week, but you have to give a nod to Mason who was unstoppable last night.  I actually even got a bit choked up him making play after play with a dislocated shoulder. After every tackle, he was in obvious agony, and he'd get helped up and run back to the huddle, craddling his arm. 

 He literally beat the Cowboys secondary with one arm, and it was amazing to see.

[HaemishM]

There is just something wrong in Cowboys land. Somewhere, they aren't getting something that allows them to finish games against good opponents who are playing well, either on offense or defense. Their secondary was never that good, but their front 7 is too damn good to allow the 2 long TD runs late that they did. Of course, if the offense hadn't played like refried ass the first 3 quarters of the game, they might have done better in the fourth.

I will absolutely plotz if they miss the playoffs and the Eagles get by beating them.

[SnakeCharmer]

Two words of what's wrong with the Cowboys:

Wade Phillips.

The freakshow that is Terrell Owens and choke artist that is Tony Romo can't help.

[Nevermore]

Why hello there, AFC East champion Dolphins! 

Oh, and here's a special message to the 11-5 Patriots:    Enjoy your off season!

[Trippy]

Why hello there, AFC East champion Dolphins! 

Oh, and here's a special message to the 11-5 Patriots:    Enjoy your off season!

And an 8 - 8 team will be going instead (assuming Denver doesn't score 31 points in 1 minute)

[Abagadro]

San Diego looked really good. They have my boy Eric Weddle on there so I semi-root for them.

[Paelos]

Two words of what's wrong with the Cowboys:

Wade Phillips.

The freakshow that is Terrell Owens and choke artist that is Tony Romo can't help.

I don't give you credit often, because you are a dirty Bama fan. However...indeed.

[JWIV]

I watched the Eagles-Cowboys game in between the Ravens making the Jags their bitch.  Good god - that game was flat out awful.  Cowboys weren't even trying after the first quarter.

[MrHat]

Why hello there, AFC East champion Dolphins! 

Oh, and here's a special message to the 11-5 Patriots:    Enjoy your off season!

And an 8 - 8 team will be going instead (assuming Denver doesn't score 31 points in 1 minute)

lol Broncos, way to fuck up.

[shiznitz]

I watched the Eagles-Cowboys game in between the Ravens making the Jags their bitch.  Good god - that game was flat out awful.  Cowboys weren't even trying after the first quarter.

* shiznitz does an Eagles jig!

I know it won't last. McNabb is fat on free Campbell's soup.

[Sauced]

Bears need to
 
- Change their defensive philosophy, draft the largest DT they can find with skills to play beside Tommie Harris and in front of Urlacher, someone who requires a double team to free up Ogunleye and Brown to get more pressure on the edges, and more importantly give Harris more chances to play in the backfield.

That will probably not happen, so maybe they should:

- Draft a stud MLB and make Urlacher the highest paid SLB in football.

Also drafting a stud CB would help a lot, as would finding a replacement for both the FS and Leadership skills of Mike Brown.  I'm sure all of this will happen this offseason!

ARGH.

[naum]

/gratz to the Lions for their perfect season… …and they were long overdue to dump the coach, it should have been done after 0-9 or 0-10… …not all his fault, but if they shook it up then, they might have nabbed a win… …as it is, they go into record books as worst team ever, and I don't think they're the worst team of 2008, they played hard and competitive in most games… …I'd wager they'd stomp all over Cleveland or Kansas City or a few other teams that mailed it in week 14…

NFL needs to expand playoffs to 8 teams. It's an absurdity that an 8-8 team gets a home playoff game but an 11-5 time sits. Yeah, nobody is going to cry for Belicheck and NE, but I wish they would open it up to 8 teams, maybe give all the playoff teams a week bye or end the season on Saturday. I think the last few years have shown that having #1 or #2 seed and first week off really doesn't compare to the momentum of playing successive weeks (look at last 3 Super Bowl winners - NYG, IND, PIT all capped late season rhythm and extra round profited them). Plus, more teams that make playoffs means more happy fans who in week 16 and 17 can see their team playing for something meaningful other than to impress next year's head coach. Even if they go bye bye in first round.

[Draegan]

If you open it up to 8 teams it's more likely more 8-8 or 7-9 teams could make it.  6 is perfect.

[Nevermore]

Twice since the realignment in 2002 we'd have had 7-9 teams get into the playoffs if there were 8 postseason teams per conference (ie: half the league).  For all the gnashing of teeth about an 11-5 team missing the playoffs, that same team lost by 20 points to the 8-8 team that did make it.

[Paelos]

If you make the playoffs 8-8, the NFL regular season becomes almost as useless as hockey or the NBA where 50% of the teams make it in.

[shiznitz]

I like the division-based system. There clearly are easy and hard divisions. NE skated to their 11-5. Fuck 'em.

[Murgos]

I think the last few years have shown that having #1 or #2 seed and first week off really doesn't compare to the momentum of playing successive weeks (look at last 3 Super Bowl winners - NYG, IND, PIT all capped late season rhythm and extra round profited them).

Um, wasn't it just before this streak that very few teams had ever won (or even gotten too) the superbowl without having had a first week bye?  The preponderance of evidence still seems to point to the bye week being a good thing.

fake edit:  There have been 6 teams to win the superbowl without having also won the division title.  So, um, yeah.

    * 1969 Kansas City Chiefs-Super Bowl IV (played in 1970)
    * 1980 Oakland Raiders-Super Bowl XV (played in 1981)
    * 1997 Denver Broncos-Super Bowl XXXII (played in 1998)
    * 2000 Baltimore Ravens-Super Bowl XXXV (played in 2001)
    * 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers-Super Bowl XL (played in 2006)
    * 2007 New York Giants-Super Bowl XLII (played in 2008)

[naum]

Not all division winners get a bye in first round. 

SB winners (should have checked runner up, may tilt numbers even more) with those receiving bye denoted with '*':

2007 NYG
2006 IND
2005 PIT
2004 NE *
2003 NE *
2002 TB *
2001 NE *
2000 BAL
1999 STL *
1998 DEN *
1997 DEN
1996 GB *
1995 DAL *
1994 SF *
1993 DAL *
1992 DAL *
1991 WAS *
1990 NYG *

Seems like it used to be so, that teams w/bye went to big dance, but not anymore.

I think the last few years have shown that having #1 or #2 seed and first week off really doesn't compare to the momentum of playing successive weeks (look at last 3 Super Bowl winners - NYG, IND, PIT all capped late season rhythm and extra round profited them).

Um, wasn't it just before this streak that very few teams had ever won (or even gotten too) the superbowl without having had a first week bye?  The preponderance of evidence still seems to point to the bye week being a good thing.

fake edit:  There have been 6 teams to win the superbowl without having also won the division title.  So, um, yeah.

    * 1969 Kansas City Chiefs-Super Bowl IV (played in 1970)
    * 1980 Oakland Raiders-Super Bowl XV (played in 1981)
    * 1997 Denver Broncos-Super Bowl XXXII (played in 1998)
    * 2000 Baltimore Ravens-Super Bowl XXXV (played in 2001)
    * 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers-Super Bowl XL (played in 2006)
    * 2007 New York Giants-Super Bowl XLII (played in 2008)

[Draegan]

Forget the bye, consider homefield for at least one game, which is all the division winners.

[HaemishM]

I would just like to say that watching the Cowboys absolutely self-destruct in slow motion was LOVELY. Fuck you, Terrell Owens, fuck you, Pacman Jones and fuck you, Jerry Jones. Also, fuck you sports media for annointing Tony Romo the next Brett Favre before he ever won a playoff game. Give him a better coach and less media fellatio and he might be a big-time QB in 3 years. Right now, he's just a talented guy on a talented team that hasn't found a way to put a full season together.

Also, Chargers looked really strong. That game with Indy is going to be good.

Seeing Atlanta, Miami, Carolina and Arizona make the playoffs is lovely. While the NFL season has gotten way wacky every year with the parity situation, at least we get some new playoff blood.

[Paelos]

The defining moment of this season will be Tom Brady's knee injury. It was the shocking start to a total shakeup of the NFL status quo.

[Draegan]

The defining moment of this season will be Tom Brady's knee injury. It was the shocking start to a total shakeup of the NFL status quo.

Who's thinking this other than Pat fans?

[HaemishM]

Actually he may be on to something. Of course, even if Brady never plays another down, the Pats will be back in the playoffs next year with either Brady or Cassel at QB. So maybe not. But it has been a strange trending year, especially at QB.

Baltimore and Atlanta BOTH have decent years out of rookie QB's. Fuck, KYLE NECKBEARD ORTON had what can be easily described as a good season. Manning and Rivers spent much of the year being barely capable. The Packers miss the playoffs with someone other than Favre, and Favre misses the playoffs period. The heir apparent in Tennessee gets benched and they make the playoffs as the #1 seed. Eli and not Peyton is the Manning whose team gets #1 seed in their division.

Strange strange year.

[Rasix]

I would just like to say that watching the Cowboys absolutely self-destruct in slow motion was LOVELY.

Ahh yes, Week 17 could have easily been called Week Shadenfreude or Week Karma-Bitch for me. I can't be upset with any of the

-NY Bretts fail to make the playoffs.  Favre has a dismal end of the season and although the Packers had a dismal year, both teams are in the same place except the Packers know they have a quarterback going forward.
-Cowboys impode in embarrassing fashion.  Thank god. I do not like seeing TO teams do well. 
-Broncos implode in embarrassing fashion. .  The Broncos making the playoffs would have been a tragedy considering their bullshit wins early this season.
-Pats watch the playoffs on TV and have a real nasty decision to make next year at QB.

Manning and Rivers spent much of the year being barely capable.

Woah there.  Rivers had a great season. He had 2 bad games, 2 mediocre games and the rest of the time he carried the team.  34 tds, 11 ints, 4009 yards and a 106 rating.  And if you're talking about Peyton.. uhh, he's likely the MVP.  Guy gutted it out early and again, was pretty much the only reason the Colts are where they are.  The receiving corp this year for Indy was banged up horribly and Harrison is on a steady decline. Addai was a non-factor this year also.

Screw this Matt Ryan for MVP crap (glad the Kurt Warner calls have subsided), Michael Turner and the departure of a lot of huge distractions greatly added to the Falcons' success.  Although you could argue without either of these 3 guys, the Falcons, Colts and Chargers would be 12 loss teams this year.

[Nevermore]

-Broncos implode in embarrassing fashion. .  The Broncos making the playoffs would have been a tragedy considering their bullshit wins early this season.

This one is apparently the gift that keeps on giving since Shamalanahan was just fired.  What a twist!

[HaemishM]

Manning and Rivers spent much of the year being barely capable.

Woah there.  Rivers had a great season. He had 2 bad games, 2 mediocre games and the rest of the time he carried the team.  34 tds, 11 ints, 4009 yards and a 106 rating.  And if you're talking about Peyton.. uhh, he's likely the MVP.  Guy gutted it out early and again, was pretty much the only reason the Colts are where they are.  The receiving corp this year for Indy was banged up horribly and Harrison is on a steady decline. Addai was a non-factor this year also.

Screw this Matt Ryan for MVP crap (glad the Kurt Warner calls have subsided), Michael Turner and the departure of a lot of huge distractions greatly added to the Falcons' success.  Although you could argue without either of these 3 guys, the Falcons, Colts and Chargers would be 12 loss teams this year.

Yes, I'll give you that both Peyton and Rivers could be considered MVP candidates - but 6 weeks in, they were both on shaky ground with teams that could miss the playoffs. Hell, the Chargers didn't turn it around until over halfway through the season. Both showed why they are MVP caliber, because they took an unfavorable situation and turned both teams around. Warner for MVP was destined for epic fail, and Matt Ryan shouldn't be considered because really, without Turner, that team goes NOWHERE. Turner didn't carry their offense, but he made it playoff caliber. He's almost as good as LT when he's on. Had San Diego had Turner this year, they'd have gotten another 2 wins at least.

EDIT: And the gifts keep on giving. Martz gets fired as offensive coordinator in San Fran. I hate that motherfucker.

[Trippy]

Manning's injury was much more serious than they were letting on. Given how bad their running game was this season Manning was their offense:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/12/29/Week17/index.html

(skip down to the bottom half on the first page and read from there)

[Paelos]

The more that comes out from behind the scenes regarding the Dallas Cowboys, the more I'm convinced this is a completely ridiculous decision to keep Wade Phillips. Jerry Jones is single-handedly handcuffing the team by taking all the authority away from his coach. He's keeping Phillips because he's willing to be Jerry's puppet. People were constantly late to meetings, fines for team rule violations were around $100, people held up flights and travel arrangements by being late.

Mike Shannahan without any owner interference could lead this team to playoff spot easily. But no, they have to stick with lame duck Wade because he tows the line.

[Nebu]

It's about money.  If Jerry wants to micromanage his way to a quick exit, it's his $$$. 

I totally agree about Shannahan.