7 teams per conference now, with only the #1 seed getting a bye. So, Baltimore’s opponent is determined by whoever survives the first round
ETA: oh, just re-read it. Yeah, there’s the off chance Cleveland wins and there’s a lower seed who also wins
Duh, yes, of course. And @Great_Antibob is also correct.
Here’s Mike Florio and Chris Simms breaking down the play.
?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4oQB4OCYzQ
TLDW: The Lions tried to be cute hoping to confuse Dallas as to which lineman was eligible. They succeeded, but they also succeeded in confusing the ref.
An amusing scenario is Pittsburgh sneaking in by beating a Ravens squad resting its starters this week, winning its first round game and then returning to Baltimore after having already defeated the Ravens twice in the regular season.
Yeah, I’ve come around to that now, especially given that Dan Campbell admitted that it’s what they were trying to do.
I mean, subterfuge is part of the sport, so I’m not going to call them cheaters that got what they deserved or anything. But when that subterfuge includes the way you interact with the officials, you can’t gripe too much if the officials get confused. (Though I still think the referee was an idiot anyway.)
Now that Daniel Snyder is out of the league there’s an opening for the worst owner title that Snyder held on to for 2 decades. David Tepper is definitely in contention.
Parlaying Harbaughs to each win their respective national championship now at +516 at DraftKings.
I agree, but the field is too crowded to identify a front runner. What’s that old saying? “On any given Sunday.”
I thought the eligibility declaration was more for the officials than the defense. They have to keep track of who’s allowed to catch the ball.
If a lineman is eligable, the defense is going to want to cover them, no? They’re not going to waste time covering a lineman who isn’t eligable to catch the ball. That’s why the refs notify the defense so they can decide who to cover.
Would it be an easier solution to have jerseys available like 00 that a player could change into when eligible?
One thing I’ve learned from this eligible/ineligible fiasco that I didn’t know before:
If a lineman reports as eligible, he remains eligible as long as he’s in the game. He reverts back to ineligible if he sits for one or more downs, or a timeout is called by either team, or the two-minute warning occurs, or a replay review occurs, or the end of the quarter.
I don’t know that a player will often have time between plays to run off the field to change a jersey. Especially a big lineman. There should be something easier, like slipping on a neon armband that both the defense and officials can watch. Quick and simple.
And they have to confirm it before every down.
Oh, and even the NFL rulebook is frustratingly vague on all of it.
Is there a way to report correctly? Do you have to provide you’re number like, “#68 reporting as eligible.” or just say, “I’m reporting.” and it is up to the referee to look at your number. And something about hand gestures to report by rubbing your jersey?
Upthread I recced a big removable velcro red dot on the front of the unis.
Vague as hell. The rulebook just says you have to clearly communicate it, which has generally been considered as telling the official “I’m reporting as eligible” or “I’m eligible”. Most linemen would also make the hand gesture, palm towards the chest, moving from top to bottom, with either one hand or both, just to make it CLEAR clear. You’re not going to hide it from a defense paying attention, because it’s announced to the defense and rest of the officiating crew (and generally over the PA system as well).
The NFL “clarified” in a ridiculous video the other day that both of those things now need to happen to successfully report as eligible. Because actual accountability for terrible officiating is bad, and the NFL Referees Association is less spineless than the NFLPA.
I thought about Velcro too but too easy to come off.
Week 18 thread here.