# NFL 2023: Week 18, the Final Chapter **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [January 3, 2024, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563 "2024-01-03T21:42:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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 6, 2024, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/41 "2024-01-06T23:15:18Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > This seems particulary classless. Is this a widespread practice? What a weird take. It’s ubiquitous, and as normal and not-classless as cheering when your team scores a touchdown. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/42 "2024-01-07T00:00:07Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > they are flashing messages like “The opposition has requested quiet when they have the ball. Please behave accordingly.” I.e., make lots of noise when the visiting team has the ball. > > This seems particulary classless. Is this a widespread practice? As others have mentioned, the call for noise when the other side has the ball is common. In this case it’s the overly formal phrasing that would suggest, dare I say it, mockery? 🧐 All in good natured fun of course, I mean, such a refined sporting spectacle. And not like the trolling is helping the Ravens much anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/43 "2024-01-07T00:25:08Z")
When I went to see the Seahawks host the Buccaneers a decade ago, we actually had the defense turning to the crowd and giving us the “GET LOUDER!” signal. I mean, the players were directly interacting with fans to remind us to make it more difficult for the visitors. That’s part of the sport and a reason to go to the game. You get to actually have an impact. This is why “home field advantage” is a real factor in the NFL. It’s a feature, not a bug. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/44 "2024-01-07T00:49:36Z")
The Steelers took care of their business. Now they wait… ---
**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 7, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/45 "2024-01-07T01:06:58Z")
Browns play the winner of this game, right? I think I’d rather play Indy. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/46 "2024-01-07T01:32:55Z")
The Browns will play Jacksonville if Jacksonville beats Tennessee tomorrow and wins the AFC South. If Jacksonville loses, the winner of Indy/Houston will win the division and host Cleveland. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/47 "2024-01-07T01:59:38Z")
Which sucks as the Browns have a better record and should be hosting those games. Let the opponent suck some snow, wind, and rain off the lake. /righteous outrage off ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/48 "2024-01-07T02:45:32Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > the Browns have a better record and should be hosting those games. Yes, sometime the NFL will realize that the team with the better record should ALWAYS host the game, not the winner of the worst division in the conference. The same thing will also happen in the NFC this year, as the Bucs or Saints or Falcons will host the Eagles or Cowboys. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/49 "2024-01-07T02:57:58Z")
> [@Jegpeg](#): > > As a Sehawks fan it makes me twitchy of calls to get anyone in the Draft because Geno is only middle of the road and we need a star QB. I hope Penix falls to us. Maybe teams will stay away from him because he is left handed. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/50 "2024-01-07T03:03:04Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I hope Penix falls to us. Even though he might be the 4th or 5th quarterback drafted, it’s doubtful that he will fall that low. The few mock drafts I’ve seen have him picked about 9th or 11th. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/51 "2024-01-07T03:24:01Z")
Doink on the field. They mentioned it was the six year anniversary of the double doink. > **[Double Doink](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Doink)** > > The Double Doink was a game-ending field goal attempt by Chicago Bears kicker Cody Parkey in the National Football League (NFL)'s 2018 NFC Wild Card game. Parkey's 43-yard field goal attempt against the Philadelphia Eagles was partially blocked by Eagles defensive lineman Treyvon Hester, hit the left upright, then bounced off the crossbar, and finally fell back out onto the goal line finishing on the 3-yard line, no good. The sixth-seeded, defending Super Bowl champion Eagles won the game over th... ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/52 "2024-01-07T03:44:08Z")
The third quarter of the Colts game ended with a controversial call in which the Colts’ running back was called down just short of the first down marker for a third down. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Colts’ head coach challenged the spot of the ball and won the challenge. The time clock was changed to 45 seconds left in the third quarter. I’ve never seen that before. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/53 "2024-01-07T03:49:33Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Yes, sometime the NFL will realize that the team with the better record should ALWAYS host the game, not the winner of the worst division in the conference. The same thing will also happen in the NFC this year, as the Bucs or Saints or Falcons will host the Eagles or Cowboys. In which case divisions would prove utterly meaningless. Which they more or less are anymore anyway, but keeping up the pretense helps fuel rivalries. I know why they added them but all of these wild card teams really do diminish both the divisions and the regular season. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/54 "2024-01-07T04:20:05Z")
I don’t know why, but I love an intentional safety. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/55 "2024-01-07T04:43:10Z")
That Texans punter could have wasted 1 more second if he had dawdled better. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/56 "2024-01-07T05:20:12Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > In which case divisions would prove utterly meaningless. Not sure why you say this. Each division winner would still make the playoffs. But a wild-card team with possibly the second-best record in the league wouldn’t have to go on the road to play, say, a sub .500 division winner. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/57 "2024-01-07T08:20:40Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Colts’ head coach challenged the spot of the ball and won the challenge. The time clock was changed to 45 seconds left in the third quarter. > > I’ve never seen that before. Something similar happened in a Steelers game earlier this year. Mostly I remember that it meant they ran two “end of the quarter” commercial breaks, and that ultimately only two plays were run in about a 20 minute real time window (the review was also particularly lengthy) ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/58 "2024-01-07T08:34:45Z")
What a bizarre season for the Steelers. They some how scratched and clawed their way to a 10-7 record. Gotta wonder what would have been if: They had fired Matt Canada sooner and/or Mason Rudolph had played vs Arizona & NE instead of Mitch Trubisky and/or The defense wasn’t decimated by injuries (a “pretty good” defense maybe could have been great) ---
**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 7, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/59 "2024-01-07T19:13:19Z")
With a Bengals win today all teams in the AFC North will have a winning record which apparently has not happened since the 30s. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563/60 "2024-01-07T19:44:22Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > With a Bengals win today all teams in the AFC North will have a winning record And, if the Titans continue to lead the Jags and win the game, 3 teams from that division will make the playoffs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2023-week-18-the-final-chapter/995563.md?page=4)