Divisional Round Weekend
- Thread starter BigSoxFan
- Start date
I’ll always remember the Tom Tupa fake in the “National Guard” game. At least he was a former QB.
I was there, sitting first row, the play was basically right in front of me. I believe that one was a dropped pass. Perhaps by Whigham?
Edit: it was rookie Tedy Bruschi!
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1) Fantastic post.
2) I tend to hate fake punts/kicks in general. If a team really wants to go for it, then put your offense on the field and go for it. I get faking when you've discovered on film a fundamental weakness in the block/coverage team, but if this was simply a case of "they have 10 on the field, call the fake" that's just dumb.
I wouldn't call the fake itself dumb. With 10 men defending a 4th-and-5, chances are decent of a pickup. Problem was the play itself was a low percentage play.
The play calls after the 2 minute warning were far more inexcusable, regardless of whether they were on the coaching staff or the QB.
The play calls after the 2 minute warning were far more inexcusable, regardless of whether they were on the coaching staff or the QB.
Same and I think it's awesome he is on this revenge tour after every team could have had him.
I'm sorry for you because you're a good, knowledgeable fan. The problems with the Bills seem intractable.
Do you think there's a realistic chance Hardo gets shown the door?
IIRC the call was because if they saw a certain tell from the punt return defense, they were supposed to automatically audible to a fake.
The problem with that, and with Hardo's call yesterday, is it does not take into account game situation or field position. In both cases the fake punt call was inexcusable.
Same here. It's very weird. Especially when it's about a pretty likeable QB and team. I'll never understand the brain of a Patriots fan.
Hey Hardo, how about being aggressive with your best player on the field rather than putting the ball in someone's hands who literally never carries the ball (Hamlin). No better way to take advantage of the other squad being a man short than running a deliberate, slow-developing off tackle run.
Wow. That's your non-audible fake punt? Garbage play, garbage call.
Counterpoint is that on 4th and 5 with the Bills averaging 4.7 yards per play all game, they aren't getting a first there anyways. But that call was only bailed out by a Chiefs fumble at the 1-inch line, otherwise it looks even worse.
Counterpoint is that on 4th and 5 with the Bills averaging 4.7 yards per play all game, they aren't getting a first there anyways. But that call was only bailed out by a Chiefs fumble at the 1-inch line, otherwise it looks even worse.
Mahomes is 13-3 in the playoffs.
Take Tom Brady out and he's 13-1. Crazy that Brady stopped 2 SBs for Mahomes. What a completely different look it would be if Mahomes already had 4 and Brady had 5.
Take Tom Brady out and he's 13-1. Crazy that Brady stopped 2 SBs for Mahomes. What a completely different look it would be if Mahomes already had 4 and Brady had 5.
Reminder that at one point Brady was 14-2 in the playoffs. He then went a "mediocre" 4-6 over a 10 game stretch, before then ripping off a 17-3 stretch.
Hated that final offensive sequence from BUF. After the 1 yard run to get to KC 26, they threw two deep balls (both incomplete) and then the missed FG.
I would have liked to see some short passes to keep the chains moving or even mix in a Josh Allen run. I feel like when the chips are down, Allen running the ball has been their bread and butter. Getting another first down does two things....obviously makes the FG attempt easier, and also leaves basically no time for Mahomes to get you before overtime. You also might just score a TD on subsequent plays and win the damned thing. But I would've liked for them to wait at least for another set of downs before taking deep shots toward the end zone.
I would have liked to see some short passes to keep the chains moving or even mix in a Josh Allen run. I feel like when the chips are down, Allen running the ball has been their bread and butter. Getting another first down does two things....obviously makes the FG attempt easier, and also leaves basically no time for Mahomes to get you before overtime. You also might just score a TD on subsequent plays and win the damned thing. But I would've liked for them to wait at least for another set of downs before taking deep shots toward the end zone.
Yeah, the Bills were playing that drive PERFECTLY up until 2nd down, then the wheels just totally came off.
Allen had guys open underneath too. And Bass was 2 for 4 on FG in the postseason at that point, they should have known that they needed to get a lot closer to feel good about his chances at making the FG.
Yep, that's partly why it was infuriating to watch....it looked like they had KC's number on that final drive. Efficiently moving the chains and then they just decided to change it up with the two deeper passes. Felt like they bailed out the KC defense who couldn't really stop Allen running it all night.
Not to mention, what's the rush to score there? The longer the drive took, the less time you're leaving Mahomes to drive the field to break your hearts again.
Exactly, if they hit an underneath pass on 2nd down, even if they don't pick up the first on that play, A) it gets them closer for a FG, B) it gives them a 3rd and short, and C) it keeps the clock running (or forces a KC TO).
I thought they should've run on 2nd and 9 coming out of the 2 minute warning. Gets the clock moving and either kills 40 seconds or forces KC into using their 2nd timeout, nevermind any yardage gained.
The whole drive they appeared to be in clock killing mode then coming out of the 2 minute warning suddenly there was an urgency to score quick. Don't know if that's on Allen for forcing deep balls with Diggs open underneath or Hardo. I'll go with Hardo, he could've overruled the playcall on 2nd down.
The whole drive they appeared to be in clock killing mode then coming out of the 2 minute warning suddenly there was an urgency to score quick. Don't know if that's on Allen for forcing deep balls with Diggs open underneath or Hardo. I'll go with Hardo, he could've overruled the playcall on 2nd down.
Yep, they were playing it perfectly....they had consumed over 6 minutes prior to the 2nd and 3rd down passes. Allen had complete like 6 or 7 short passes on that drive too up to that point....Kincaid with 3 of them.
As soon as the clock ticked under 3:30ish, the Bills had essentially committed themselves to that being their last possession of regulation regardless of what happened. Absolutely bizarre to take a shot at the end zone coming out of the two minute warning. Bad decision by Josh and bad situational play design if Diggs wasn’t the first read.
Many don't find the QB or team likeable. I find Lamar to be much more likeable than Mahomes. Mahomes entourage even less likeable. The team recently employed both Tyreek Hill and Frank Clark. They had a coach, the still HC's son no less, drink at the facility then get in his car and promptly crash resulting in a 5 year old with traumatic brain injury after spending almost two weeks in a coma. So yes, I can understand fans of any team rooting for Baltimore over KC.
Fascinated to see how the next 5 years goes for Mahomes as he enters his 30s. If the Chiefs somehow get by the Ravens and then 49ers (likely), he has 3 championships at only a year older than when Brady got his third. It is almost going the reverse of the Patriots blueprint, with the Chiefs starting as an offense-heavy team, and now transitioning to a better supporting defense. As opposed to the Brady era Patriots, starting off with strong defensive squads followed by putting more resources into the offense.
In the Chiefs' case, Andy Reid will definitely not outlast his QB.
Yes....although despite that, they did have a chance to get it back but the defense inexplicably didn't seem to sell out for a KC run on first down. They could have gotten it back with about 50-55 seconds left which is plenty doable when you have Josh Allen and only need a FG to tie.
But they allowed 8 yards on a first down run which basically ended the game.
But you are correct, it had to be played like the final possession which is why the two deeper passes on 2nd/3rd downs were completely out of the optimal strategy. You continue to play ball control offense there after the 2 minute warning. KC couldn't stop your ball control offense. Still can't believe we didn't see a Josh Allen run there at the end. I wonder if Hardo got spooked by the Allen fumble earlier in the drive that BUF got away with because they recovered. I still want the ball in my best player's hands though when the chips are down, so I would've liked to see them dare KC to stop another Allen rush.
Mahomes' tantrum after the referee correctly called offsides and negated the Travis Kelce play really soured me on him, then him whining to Josh Allen about it after the game just totally reinforced my distaste for him. He's become insufferable IMO.
Yes, but, they will restructure him again and kick that can into Canada.
Also, that's what...
I know I'm in the minority here in a Pats-centric forum but, to me, this really seems like trying very hard to find things to hate about them. I'm no KC fan, so I'm not sticking up for my team. They haven't employed Hill for a couple of years. Baltimore has a much worse track record when it comes to employing assholes, even after their assholeness becomes obvious and public. Every team has employed a shithead at some point in the recent past. The NFL is full of assholes. If Mahomes didn't show emotion when he lost people would criticize him for not giving enough of a shit. Read through the game threads and you'll see tons of posts criticizing the refs and the calls, but when Mahomes gets upset about a call that actually affected him personally that makes him insufferable?
I get it. Lots of people's primary concern is Brady's legacy. But without further evidence it seems very odd to find fault with Mahomes at this point. The guy is a great QB and there's nothing in his personal life that we know of that would suggest he isn't at least a decent guy. If he only had one ring this wouldn't even be a topic for discussion.
As someone who couldn't care less about Brady I really enjoy watching Mahomes play. There aren't many guys, other than those on my team, I tune in specifically to watch. He's definitely on the list and it seems to get shorter every year.
I have zero problem with Mahomes, other than the sideline dance routine. He's a phenomenal player. I won't root for the Chiefs due to the Brady record thing. But I don't find him "insufferable".
I love the Pats dynasty but I watch professional sports because I like to see excellence and Mahomes is excellent. This AFC championship game will be fun.
Yes, to me, the biggest knock against Mahomes and Kelce (and Reid, thinking about it) is you can't turn on your TV set without seeing one of them in a commercial. In that regard, Mahomes is more like Peyton than Brady. I'm pretty sure Tom's appeared in more ads at the end of his career and since he retired than he did during his prime. But I can't blame any athlete for making the money they can while they can.
Sorry to be clear I don't mean off field stuff with Mahomes. I mean his tippy toe sideline routine where he always gets extra yards because defenders are terrified to hit him for fear of penalty. It's not his fault that he gets away with it, it's just extremely annoying.
Yup. It's not his fault that idiots like Nantz and Romo can't go two minutes without talking about Taylor Swift or something. Or that the cameras constantly go to her for a reaction to a basic Kelce catch. The commercials thing doesn't really bother me. I'm way more sick of all of the Subway guys and being forced to listen to Shaq talk about how awesome Papa John's and The General are.
Exactly. And it's not like Brady didn't get his fair share of calls that most QBs didn't.
There's nothing really wrong with Mahomes, but this season he's starting to act like a whiny baby much more often. Between the shameful histrionics after the Toney offsides call to the ridiculous presser to his throwing a full on tantrum during the Pats game of all matches, the shine has come off his personality a bit.
But he's obviously an unreal player.
But he's obviously an unreal player.
This situation is a bit different because Mahomes is taking advantage of the officiating, but yes, Brady of course got some calls too.
Agreed. Post Hill the Chiefs and especially Mahomes specifically aren’t really all that unlikable, I’m just tired of them and I would like some of Brady’s resume to remain untouched.
Relatedly, the spectrum of Brady feelings on this board throws me for a loop. You have a significant contingent that thinks saying Mahomes is good is a shot at TB. (Narrator: it isn’t.) And yet in this very thread we have folks who presumably worship the man’s football achievements and are hanging on to decade-old Ravens hatred as a more significant rooting interest than not wanting to see Mahomes keep pace with Brady on actual titles. Both sides baffle me.
Thank you. I'll also ad the complete fatigue with all the Tay-tay nonsense. The assumption that everyone here who roots against them is doing so out of fan-boy puppy love and worry for Brady's records is insulting and silly.
Did anyone ask Hardo and Co. about ending up on the right hash mark. I think that's low key one of the biggest fuck ups in the game. Bass hit the upright in the first half and pushed another attempt close to the right upright. Once I saw that they were lined up on the right hash for the kick I knew he was going to push it right.
I don't think Mahomes is really any different than usual, he's just reached the point where he's starting to win so much that everyone is going to hate him. Then he'll retire or become beat up and lose and everyone will love him again.
'Merica.
'Merica.
Who said that? There are several posts that explicitly say that they're mainly concerned with Brady's legacy. Did anyone say that rooting for Baltimore automatically means you only care about Brady?
I also have to note that Diggs allowing a potential 80 yard TD pass to go right through his hands untouched, despite his insistence on being the number 1 WR and all his weird antics over the last summer, is a REALLY awful look.
People hating Mahomes are out of their minds with insanity or jealousy or both. Everything they say is EXACTLY what people used to say about Brady and the Pats. Some self awareness is in order.
It is also funny that so many people on this board are like, "The games stink, the offenses are terrible, this product is unwatchable" and then Mahomes does some wizardry and goes to 6 straight championship games and people are like, "I don't like the way he behaves, plus drunk driving is bad and Tyreek Hill was on the team 3 years ago and I am not a fan of 1989 (Taylor's Version) too."
Au contraire. It was a GORGEOUS look for those who aren't fans of the Bills. It was perfection.
There was nothing to ask. They threw incomplete on 2nd and 3rd down. You can question passing on 2nd down. Once it hit 3rd down, they were where they were. It's not like they intentionally ended up on the right hash. That's not something they should have been thinking about on 1st down IMO.
This is just made up. There is no Tay Tay nonsense. She's not on the field, she's not playing, they aren't even speaking with her. They show her in the luxury box, cheering. They do the same with Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft.
Taylor Swift is literally in the top 3 of most famous musicians in the world today. She might even be number 1. You think the NFL is going to pass up on showing her at the games, cheering? That is a pretty naïve view considering the NFL is insanely publicity and money focused.