Instead of doing Playoff Power Rankings for the Ultimate Football Blog, I’ve decided to do something I’m calling NFL Weekend Hangover where I’m just going to vomit a bunch of words on certain topics pertaining to Wild Card Weekend. Somebody hold my hair.
Blame Lindley, Not The Panthers
Did the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers deserve to a host a playoff game against the 10-6 Arizona Cardinals? Probably not. But that’s not their fault. They won their division, which means they made the playoffs over more deserving teams in tougher divisions. It’s not the Panthers fault that they and the rest of the NFC South sucked all season before they finally turned things around in the final month while the rest of the division continued to suck.
Let’s be honest, even if that game was in Arizona, the Panthers were going to win. Not only were they fantastic on the road in their final two road games of the season, but, and this is very important….THE CARDINALS WERE STARTING RYAN LINDLEY! The only reason they scored 14 points is because the Panthers punt team sucks and Jericho Cotchery broke off his route.
I’m fine if you’re upset that the Panthers hosted the game despite the losing record. I’m even fine if you’re upset that the Panthers got into the playoffs despite the losing record. But don’t tell me that the outcome would’ve been any different had they played in Arizona or anywhere else in the world. As long as the Cardinals were starting Ryan Lindley, the Panthers were winning that game.
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Unfair To Andy Dalton
I’m not a big Andy Dalton supporter mainly because I think gingers are pretty useless people and there seems to be some belief that Dalton was the best QB to come out of 2011 draft, but constantly blaming him for the Bengals playoff struggles is pretty unfair. Dalton wasn’t great against the Indianapolis Colts, but look at the circumstances. The Colts were always going to stack the box and force Dalton to beat them. It’s tough to beat a team when you’re missing your best receiver and your top tight end.
Dalton was on the road and the underdog in three of his four playoff games. He also has Marvin Lewis as his head coach. The Bengals weren’t going to win on Sunday. Not only did Todd Bergman jinx them, but the Bengals just aren’t as good as the Colts. That was proven earlier in the season and proven again this past weekend. It’s not Dalton’s fault that Andrew Luck is a better quarterback with better receivers and a better coach.
Don’t blame Andy Dalton for his lack of playoff success. Blame his ginger genes.
That Picked Up Flag
The Detroit Lions didn’t lose to the Dallas Cowboys because the refs called pass interference against the Cowboys and then decided to pick up the flag, taking away the Lions first down and shifting the momentum in favor of the home team. It certainly didn’t help their collapse, but it wasn’t the sole reason for their loss.
This all falls on Roger Goodell and his flip-flopping in the front office. Goodell is supposed to lead by example as commissioner of the league. The refs are a direct reflection of Goodell and if he can’t make a concrete decision, how can the refs be expected to make one? Sure, the Lions got screwed with the pass interference call that wasn’t. But the Cowboys got screwed with Ndamukong Suh playing. So don’t blame the refs for screwing up that call, blame Goodell.
Joe Flacco In The Playoffs, Man
I don’t think Flacco is worth the money the Baltimore Ravens paid him following their Super Bowl victory and his regular season numbers back that up. But in the playoffs, Flacco transforms into someone else. He isn’t the best QB in the league like his coach says, but I have a hard time doubting him in the playoffs.
Flacco might have the best arm in football, and that’s huge come playoff times. The more big plays you get out of your quarterback, the better chance you have to win. Flacco can make the big play with his arm. Even if he doesn’t connect with a long bomb, there’s always a chance that the receiver can draw a pass interference call.
I don’t know if Flacco can go into New England and beat the Patriots like he did in 2012, especially since this Ravens team isn’t as good as the Super Bowl team, but it’s really tough for me to pick against Flacco right now. Just look at his numbers in his last four postseasons, including this past weekend’s game against the Steelers. He’s 7-2 with 2,271 yards passing, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Flacco might not win this weekend, but he’ll definitely keep the Ravens in the game.
Concussions Cost Steelers
In the fourth quarter of the Steelers/Ravens game with the Steelers down 15, Ben Roethlisberger exited the game with an apparent concussion. A few plays later, with Bruce Gradkowski under center, Heath Miller had to be taken out of the game due to what looked to be a concussion.
Roethlisberger sat out three plays before returning as Pittsburgh had the ball on the Baltimore 14 with a chance to cut the lead to one score. On his first play back, he threw an interception. The Steelers defense blocked a Ravens punts on the ensuing possession to pick up a safety, giving them the ball back with 1:57 remaining, down 30-17. A comeback seemed unlikely and all hope was erased when Heath Miller fumbled the ball after a fourth down completion.
Just to recap: Roethlisberger and Miller were removed from the game with what looked to be concussions. They both returned after sitting on the sidelines for less than 15 minutes and ended up making mistakes that cost their team a chance at victory.
Why were they allowed back in the game? Because this is the playoffs and the NFL doesn’t actually care about player safety no matter what they say. The Steelers should’ve help Roethlisberger and Miller out of the game, even if they passed whatever farce of a concussion test that was issued. Anyone with a 15” standard definition TV could see that those two players weren’t all there. But they were sent back out on the field because they wanted to play and no one had the balls to stop them.
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