# 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:** 43
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/842 "2012-01-23T04:12:47Z")
Wondering how espn will work Tim Tebow into the discussion of this weekends games and the upcoming super bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/843 "2012-01-23T04:33:15Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Wondering how espn will work Tim Tebow into the discussion of this weekends games and the upcoming super bowl. They’ll quote you? ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/844 "2012-01-23T04:36:58Z")
A mysterious shank. ---
**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 23, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/845 "2012-01-23T04:42:41Z")
File under: Fuck. Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/846 "2012-01-23T04:45:57Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Wondering how espn will work Tim Tebow into the discussion of this weekends games and the upcoming super bowl. Don’t know how ESPN is doing it, but out here in Denver, the local newscasts are focusing on his duet with Brad Paisley at the concert this weekend, and the Denver Post did a multi-page spread of his history and life. I. Am. DONE. with the mf-ing Tebow worship. Can we have a Super Bowl experience without involving someone who’s not even in the damn Super Bowl? ---
**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 23, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/847 "2012-01-23T04:46:18Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Nobody likes to lose. We get that. But neither Harbaugh brother needs to put out an instructional video on doing so gracefully. And this from someone that actually was rooting for both. Seriously, man up. what did I miss? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/848 "2012-01-23T04:50:33Z")
\*\*Very \*\*enjoyable game, above and beyond my being a fan of the winning team. Good to see some well-played defense after a ridiculous year for offense (hope everyone enjoyed it while it lasted, Super Bowl should be a shoot-out). Did anyone else notice that Punter/Holder Weatherford was wearing his wedding ring during the game? I mean, he knows his business better than I do, and he did do a great job with the low snap on the GW kick, but that seems bonkers to me. Giants’ special teams weren’t bad today. SF made them \*\*look \*\*bad, but the Niners have maybe the best unit in the league, that’ll happen. San Fran got a little unlucky today, I think. There were the two muffed/fumbled punts by a backup returner, of course, but, also, Eli threw a lot of risky passes. He played quite well considering the quality of defense he was facing, but with all balls that were tipped, or seen by a defender a split second too late to adjust, or jarred loose when two defenders were in position to intercept, I think this was fundamentally a 2 Interception Day that happened not to have any actual interceptions. The kind of day that, with bad luck instead of good, could have been a 4 or 5 interception day. But still, both teams played hard, both teams played well, and the Giants probably outplayed the 49ers on a play-for-play basis. What a weird team these New York Football Giants are… ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/849 "2012-01-23T04:57:58Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > what did I miss? Something about him not wanting to talk? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/850 "2012-01-23T05:02:10Z")
I was perversely hoping Coughlin would give him a too-hearty hand slap and a “Hell yeah!” at the end of the game, but that’s because I’m petty. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/851 "2012-01-23T05:07:07Z")
Cowboys Steelers: 1976, 1979, 1996 49ers Bengals: 1982, 1989 Dolphins Redskins: 1973, 1983 Cowboys Bills: 1993, 1994 Giants Patriots: 2008, 2012 11/46 Supr Bowls feature a pair of teams with one or more rematches. Is this statistically unusual in any way? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/852 "2012-01-23T05:27:13Z")
Or the fact that all of those matchups except one include an NFC East team. I remember thinking before the season that this year could mirror the 80s for the Giants: 1986 & 1990 compared to 2007 & 2011. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/853 "2012-01-23T05:32:18Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Did anyone else notice that Punter/Holder Weatherford was wearing his wedding ring during the game? I mean, he knows his business better than I do, and he did do a great job with the low snap on the GW kick, but that seems bonkers to me. I noticed that as well and thought that it was odd. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/854 "2012-01-23T05:36:47Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I noticed that as well and thought that it was odd. > **[Uni Watch: Athletes' wedding rings on the field](https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/7182495/uni-watch-talks-ben-roethlisberger-other-athletes-wearing-wedding-rings-field?eleven=twelve)** > > Athletes discuss why they wear their wedding rings on the field. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/855 "2012-01-23T05:51:43Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > [Uni Watch talks to Ben Roethlisberger, other athletes about wearing wedding rings on the field - ESPN](http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/story/_/id/7182495/uni-watch-talks-ben-roethlisberger-other-athletes-wearing-wedding-rings-field?eleven=twelve) Cool, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/856 "2012-01-23T12:01:06Z")
This may be my rooting interests talking, but I went away from both games yesterday thinking that the slightly better team lost. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/857 "2012-01-23T15:39:32Z")
Big win for the Giants in poor conditions against a great D. What a crazy aggravating exciting game. The Ravens finished on 3 terrible plays, that level of ineptitude deserved to go home. They should have won. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/858 "2012-01-23T17:01:32Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Kyle Williams. I pity you. I would stay away from any bars in SF (or the whole bay area for that matter) for awhile. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/859 "2012-01-23T17:03:55Z")
> [@furt](#): > > This may be my rooting interests talking, but I went away from both games yesterday thinking that the slightly better team lost. Maybe my rooting interests talking, but I had the Patriots barely slightly better (I was giving them about 60% odds in OT, more, if Brady started throwing like Brady again). Remember the missed field goal was just to go to OT. My scorecard had the Giants with a small to medium-sized horseshoe up their back end, what with only winning because of a crazy bounce on a punt, more help from the fumble recovery fairy (besides the first punt, recovering both other fumbles), and two would-have-been-interceptions-except-there-were- **two** -DBs-in-position. Aided by the 49ers decision to abandon the 5.5 yards per play rushing attack to go pass-whacky at the end, of course, so there’s some blame for their opponents. BTW, I was in “I’m about to be late for work, Fast Forward” mode on the muffed punt. Was it pretty clear on replay that it did hit the 49er? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/860 "2012-01-23T17:05:12Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > BTW, I was in “I’m about to be late for work, Fast Forward” mode on the muffed punt. Was it pretty clear on replay that it did hit the 49er? Yes. It definitely bounced off his knee. You could even see it in Williams’ initial reaction. He went for the ball at first, and then stopped either because he was trying to bluff the refs or to convince himself he didn’t touch it. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401/861 "2012-01-23T17:12:27Z")
I have to say - I don’t get the hate for Brady. So many people paint him as a conceited jackass, but it’s worth noting that his first words to CBS after getting the AFC trophy were something like “Well, I sucked today, but my team pulled us through.” He’s really good most of the time, and he works really hard to get where he is. Just because he has a chiseled jaw and literally is married to Giselle doesn’t make him a dick. He seems pretty humble, and does not court the media. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-nfl-playoffs-discussion-thread/608401.md?page=44)