# 2012 NFL Playoffs Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 4, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401 "2012-01-04T18:13:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/41 "2012-01-08T03:13:12Z")
Yeah, I’ll admit that spot was very generous. I will also gleefully accept it, and 14 unanswered points so far in the second half. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/42 "2012-01-08T03:20:34Z")
Calvin Johnson is just sick. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/43 "2012-01-08T03:23:48Z")
And Jim Scwartz is just a dick. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/44 "2012-01-08T03:30:16Z")
That Jason Hanson sure can kick. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/45 "2012-01-08T03:42:41Z")
Fairley put a nice hit on Brees. I think his name is Nick. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/46 "2012-01-08T03:45:26Z")
And Darren Sproles is fairly quick. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/47 "2012-01-08T03:46:17Z")
Not the best throw by Stafford. Greer had a nice pick. ---
**Author:** ![Miltonyz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Miltonyz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miltonyz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/48 "2012-01-08T03:58:42Z")
3 straight plays the lions go put of bounds and the clock keeps running. Is there a new rule im unaware of ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/49 "2012-01-08T04:03:38Z")
The clock only stops upon going out of bounds until the next play in the last 2 minutes of the first half and last 5 of the second half. Other than that, it pauses temporarily to spot the ball, and resumes running. Although only like 5% of NFL fans or less actually know this. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/50 "2012-01-08T04:07:44Z")
For a game with so many big plays and points it’s been bizarrely dull. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/51 "2012-01-08T04:10:47Z")
Maybe if the Lions stomped on someone the result would feel more righteous. ---
**Author:** ![Miltonyz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Miltonyz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miltonyz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/52 "2012-01-08T04:16:23Z")
Ah well they played good until they didnt. Ten and six and a mostly decent playoff game against.probably the hottest team going in to the playoffs is good progress. Hopefully next year our first round tackle and second round Rb will be healthy. With some decent pickups we shopuld be stronger. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/53 "2012-01-08T04:27:10Z")
What difference a half makes. Saints just took over in the second half, the defense was good enough, and the offense was unstoppable. Hats off to the Detroit Lions. They left it all on the field tonight, just ran into a buzzsaw after halftime. They’ll be good again next year. For the Saints, it’s on to San Francisco. Best case scenario is a road win, and the Giants/Falcons winner knocks off the Packers, so we host the NFC Championship. Worst case is the 49ers D shuts us down next week. Saints just are not the same team outdoors. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/54 "2012-01-08T04:58:56Z")
> [@Miltonyz](#): > > Ah well they played good until they didnt. Ten and six and a mostly decent playoff game against.probably the hottest team going in to the playoffs is good progress. Hopefully next year our first round tackle and second round Rb will be healthy. With some decent pickups we shopuld be stronger. Yeah, a good offseason will make or break it. We’ve known there’s potential there, but we’ll see how it goes. They clearly need a ground game and a secondary, though. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/55 "2012-01-08T08:42:15Z")
I have a rules question.Drew Brees converted on a fourth down when he leaptup and stuck the ball put easily far enough past the line. However he also on his own pulled the ball back into his body before being tackled. Now of the rule its correctly interpreted, shouldn’t it have been spotted back to where he pulled it and Hopi t where he stick it out? If it were the end zone it would be different, but this is in the normal field of play. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/56 "2012-01-08T14:12:23Z")
I think they usually give “forward progress” when spotting the ball. The Brees sneak would be kinda/sorta like a RB that surges forward, then gets knocked back before going down, or a receiver knowcked back after making a catch. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/57 "2012-01-08T15:14:49Z")
I thought you didn’t get forward progress when the ball carrier himself reversed direction, but only if driven back by the defense. ---
**Author:** ![Miltonyz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Miltonyz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miltonyz)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/58 "2012-01-08T15:15:18Z")
Not sure. My understanding of foward progress it that if a runner voluntarily retreats then foward progress does not apply. I think the difference in this instance was that Brees never physically retreated, he just tucked the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/59 "2012-01-08T19:11:59Z")
The Giants/Falcons game is great to watch if you want a game decided in the trenches. Lots of big stops, lots of QB pressure, and a couple nice blocks are making the difference in the game. It’s good old fashioned Fat Guys banging each other that is defining this game so far. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/60 "2012-01-08T19:24:30Z")
7-2 at the half. Ummm…exactly like I called it. Mmm hmmm… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401.md?page=4)