The game start has been at around this time (6:30 Eastern, 5:30 Central, 3:30 Pacific) for a couple of decades. Even with longer commercial breaks and a long halftime show (compared to normal NFL games), they got it done in about 3 1/2 hours, which also feels pretty typical to me.
I respectfully suggest that the distinguished gentlemen from the NFC North fandoms may not be… entirely unbiased… with regard to Stafford.
He played a very good game. Not a great game, not an MVP game, but a better game than Goff would have played. By the fourth quarter the Rams were down to one functional offensive weapon. There was no running game. There was no Beckham. Stafford made quite a few excellent throws - throws that lesser QBs simply don’t make. I think it’s pretty clear that the Rams don’t win the Super Bowl with Jared Goff playing last night, nor with quite a few other quarterbacks. Now, sure, Stafford made some bad throws and some bad decisions - that’s why he’s a B+ QB and not on a tier with your Toms Brady and your Peytons Manning. But a B+ QB who can maintain that B+ over 13 years and counting is a genuine asset, and certainly not one you can just plug in from anywhere.
And if right now is driving you nuts, you’re really not going to like it when he goes into the Hall of Fame 
With a sub-.500 career starting record, I have my doubts that he will be elected to the HOF.
I’m only 70% sure that was a joke to tweak any NFC north fans
But now he joins an illustrious group of Super Bowl winning QBs unlikely to be elected to the HOF. This includes luminaries such as Nick Foles, Trent Dilfer, Joe Flacco, and Brad Johnson. I’d put Eli Manning on this list but I’m not confident the voters won’t put him in the HOF anyway.
It wasn’t exactly a joke. To be clear, I’m not saying I think he deserves to go into the Hall of Fame; I just think he’s going to be elected even though he shouldn’t.
I mean, comparing him to guys like Foles and Dilfer is a bit too far in the other direction for sure; unless he retires sooner than I expect (he’s only 33, and has no history of serious injury), he’ll probably finish in the top 50 all time in terms of AV, and in the top six or even in terms of most passing stats. He will very likely finish with more passing yards and TDs than Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, or Eli Manning while throwing significantly fewer interceptions than any of them.
And that’s why he’ll get in. They’re going to put Manning in the Hall at least, and probably Roethlisberger and Rivers, too. Once they do that, it will be very difficult to keep Stafford out.
The Bengals clearly need to spend literally their entire draft on offensive linemen. Nobody can continue to take the beating Burrow takes and last very long. He’ll be retiring before the age of 30 like Andrew Luck if they can’t keep him upright.
I didn’t pay attention, but if I were to venture a guess it was for the in-stadium jumbotron. Anyone watching at home could theoretically resort to closed captioning.
Honestly, I don’t get the hate for Stafford on this board. Yes, his SB performance was less than stellar, but in the 3 playoff games that got the Rams there his numbers were very respectable. Good passing percentage, high passing yards, 6 TDs to 1 INT (one rushing TD-- he’s actually a pretty good scrambler). And he orchestrated a fine drive to beat the Bucs with a FG with mere seconds to go. I seem to remember a lot of talk before the playoffs that he’d collapse in the playoffs, not being a ‘clutch’ QB.
I despise the creep that led us to playing this crappy song at these events. I’m not the type to rant about the anthem being too jingoist, but these other post-9/11 songs have got to go.
Maybe, but in my head the Super Bowl is usually a 5 hour affair. Substantially longer than the average regular season game which clocks in at right about 3:15-3:30.
No kidding. Burrow didn’t even finish his rookie season. They really would be the Bungles if they messed this up.
We’ve seen him a lot. Most of the country has only seen the Rams version since the Lions almost never get a national audience. I’d say we’re the ones who can see past the recency bias. Let’s face it, none of us actually have any animosity to the Lions. How pathetic would that be?
Disagree on the first. He played at best an average, trending to bad, game. I do agree that Goff wouldn’t have been able to win the game though, so Stafford can have that feather in his cap of being better than Goff. Yippee. Stafford’s team was depleted and that last drive was decent, so he gets credit there, but he also completely gakked on that wide open pass to Jefferson in the end zone. If not for a bunch of penalties he’s maybe the goat.
Truth, if one looks at the entire broadcast. Even if one sets aside the four-hour pregame show, they start the actual game broadcast a half-hour before kickoff, with introductions, the anthem, etc., and then the broadcast lasts at least a half-hour after the game ends, with interviews, presentations of the trophy, etc.
Super Bowl LV: 3:35
Super Bowl LIV: 3:29
Super Bowl LIII: 3:32
Super Bowl LII: 3:46
Super Bowl LI: 3:47 (Overtime)
Super Bowl L: 3:42
This year: 3:26
They seem to be shortening them recently but they’ve never been THAT long.
Not sure how at attention they were. I noted one of the military members in the front row was texting during the song. That made me chuckle.
I like that since we’re forced to do all these Other American Songs now, they included “Life Every Voice And Sing” the Black National Anthem.
I honestly don’t get why saying Stafford played fine, but not great and he wasn’t the reason the Rams won is now considered “hate”. I don’t hate Stafford. He seems like an OK dude and I’m happy he escaped Detroit and won a ring. But his sub average passer rating for the game (13 points under is season average), his yards per completion (5.3), and his two interceptions are the marks of a guy who could be replaced by any of a dozen NFL QBs.
OK, maybe ‘hate’ is a bit strong. And I certainly wasn’t aiming that comment exclusively at you. It just seems like in many of these football threads (and online chatter in general) throughout the season Stafford’s contributions have been discounted. “He’s average at best, he’s lucky he has so many weapons around him”. Like I mentioned, before the playoffs there was a lot of “sure, his stats are decent, but he’s not clutch, he’ll fold in the playoffs”. Or “he’s lucky he has Kupp as a receiver”. Well, yes he sure is lucky he has Kupp as a receiver, and Kupp totally deserved MVP. But Kupp still needs a QB able to place the ball in his vicinity to do what he does.
I don’t think he’s average, he’s above average. His accuracy and judgement aren’t great (which combined lead to a frustrating number of interceptions), and he doesn’t have “extra” skills like being able to run well. I’d call him “good”.
Stafford’s time with the Lions from the joke thread.
The Detroit Lions visit an orphanage in Mexico
“I was devastated to see the lack of hope on their poor little faces”, said Pedro age 8.
I want to say I am thrilled with my team. Yes, it sucked to lose such a close game, especially the way it ended on our final offensive drive (run the ball QUICKLY with Mixon on 2nd and 1 dammit!). But if anything, this just goes to show how great Burrow truly is. Putting up the stats he did while being sacked more than anyone (and not being seriously hurt…AGAIN) is pretty epic honestly.
So since the Bengals were very effective spenders in FA the last two seasons and mostly drafting well, but for an offensive line that isn’t toal shite, I anticipate 3-400yd and 3-4 TD games on average starting next season.
Who Dey!