# NFL Conference Championship Games **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 15, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412 "2009-01-15T12:14:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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 19, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/41 "2009-01-19T00:17:24Z")
How funny. Tomlin challenges a play to try and turn a catch into a TD, and loses the catch. Bizarre. Sure Harbaugh would have challenged it anyway, but it is funny. ---
**Author:** ![rexnervous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/42 "2009-01-19T00:25:04Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > And thus commences the annual 8 month period in which Eagles fans demand that their highly successful Head Coach and highly successful Quarterback be replaced. As a Giants fan, I take a certain perverse pleasure in watching the drama unfold. > > Really, it was a very close game, on the road, against what I think we can now safely call a good team. The refs definitely could have called interference on that last play (though it wasn’t a mandatory call or anything). If Westbrook was healthy, if Akers didn’t have an awful game, if any one of a handful of plays went just half a yard further or shorter, Philly wins and goes to a winnable Super Bowl. If, if, if. While I know what you’re saying, the Cards were the best team on the field. Period. ---
**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 19, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/43 "2009-01-19T00:28:51Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > How funny. Tomlin challenges a play to try and turn a catch into a TD, and loses the catch. Bizarre. Sure Harbaugh would have challenged it anyway, but it is funny. I wish they’d do something about this ambiguous rule. I know in real time he had the ball for an eyeblink, but distance-wise he had control for about 2 yards-worth of dive, and only lost control when his arm and the ball hit the ground. Is a dive worse in determining control than remaining upright for 2 strides, then falling and hitting the ground and losing control? it should depend strictly on the time the ball is under continuous control. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/44 "2009-01-19T00:52:37Z")
deleted ---
**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 19, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/45 "2009-01-19T01:35:29Z")
Bad decision by Rothlisberger to throw in the middle of the field without a timeout. It’s a good game so far, but a bit too much ticky tack referee-ing going on. The roughing the punter was baloney. I don’t want a game like this decided by the zebras. ---
**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 19, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/46 "2009-01-19T02:02:15Z")
Does pittsburg have some agreement with the nfl whereby they’re never called for offensive holding? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/47 "2009-01-19T02:20:26Z")
Same as Texas Tech has with the NCAA. ---
**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 19, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/48 "2009-01-19T02:55:05Z")
Poor Joe Flacco. ---
**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 19, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/49 "2009-01-19T03:08:11Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Poor Joe Flacco. Even worse, poor Willis McGahee. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/50 "2009-01-19T03:22:48Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > How funny. Tomlin challenges a play to try and turn a catch into a TD, and loses the catch. Bizarre. Sure Harbaugh would have challenged it anyway, but it is funny. Announcers said Harbaugh DID challenge it. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/51 "2009-01-19T03:25:09Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I wish they’d do something about this ambiguous rule. I know in real time he had the ball for an eyeblink, but distance-wise he had control for about 2 yards-worth of dive, and only lost control when his arm and the ball hit the ground. Is a dive worse in determining control than remaining upright for 2 strides, then falling and hitting the ground and losing control? it should depend strictly on the time the ball is under continuous control. Since your body is two yards long, your observation means nothing more than that he fell forward with the ball in his hands, and as he was hitting the ground, it came out. The rule is not ambigous. Indeed, it is crystal clear. If the receiver, during the catch, is in contact with the defensive player, he must maintain control of the ball all the way to and through contact with the ground. Nothing ambigous about it at all. ---
**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 19, 2009, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/52 "2009-01-19T03:43:27Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Announcers said Harbaugh DID challenge it. I checked the [NFL.com](http://NFL.com) site and they said the same thing. I’m pretty sure they showed Tomlin throwing the red flag too though. My mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/53 "2009-01-19T03:55:43Z")
You were right – I saw Tomlin throw his flag, but I think Harbaugh threw his first or Harbaugh’s was spotted first. The having-theikicker-fall-on-you penalty was nonsense, but have we ever had a play off game without at least one bad call according to the fans? ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/54 "2009-01-19T04:06:41Z")
They showed Tomlin throwing the flag first, then there was a brief shot of Harbaugh throwing HIS flag. I agree the roughing the kicker call was BS. I’m a Steeler fan, and I’m glad nothing came of the resulting drive, because if Pittsburgh scored, you’d be wondering if they still would have won otherwise. Plus you’d have to listen to the Ravens and their fans whine for 3 years about how the game was decided by the refs. This way, the Steelers got an undeserved second shot, but it didn’t matter. And we got a feeeeeeeelin’ We got a feeeeelin’ Pittsburgh’s goin to the Super Bowl! \ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/55 "2009-01-19T05:11:16Z")
I’m still reeling at the idea of the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. It’s like the Cubs being in the World Series. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/56 "2009-01-19T06:50:04Z")
Well that was a dismal little affair in Pittsburgh, no? Hard to imagine how a conference championship game that was close almost the whole way could be boring, but there it is. > [@rexnervous](#): > > If, if, if. While I know what you’re saying, the Cards were the best team on the field. Period. I don’t know. I think they probably played better than Philly did today, but I don’t think that opinion is totally beyond dispute, nor does outplaying them on this Sunday make them the better team. It was a \*very \*close game. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/57 "2009-01-19T08:59:25Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I am hoping for a Steeler-Cards Super Bowl > > I grew up in Pittsburgh, so it’s a no-brainer. I get to root for the best franchise in the NFL. In my lifetime, the Steelers have been in 13 AFC Championship Games. Sunday will make it 14. That’s 14 out of 43. That’s amazing. What’s even more amazing is that they have a losing record at home. They are 4-5 at home, 2-2 on the road. If they just held serve at home, the Steelers could have been in 11 Super Bowls! (I’ll leave them 2-2 on the road to get to 11). Instead, they choke like dogs… I’ve been to two of the losses, so I’m not going this year. I am less than thrilled they are playing at home, but Tomlin showed last week that he is playing to win instead of the Cowher-playing not to lose approach. Even though the Steelers missed the fake punt and 4th & 1 at the goal, Tomlin still went for the kill. The Steelers should pull away from the Ravens in the second half, and even their AFC Championship record at home and overall. (5-5, 7-7). > > I’m rooting for the Cardinals for two reasons. I hate the Eagles, the whiney McNabb and his bestest buddy, doofus Andy Reid. I also have a friend who is a coach on the Cardinals. I’m not rooting because I’ll get Super Bowl tickets… I really want the Cards to win! > > Of course, my perfect world has the Steelers winning their 6th championship, the first team with 6 Lombardi trophies! > > For those of you that hate Steeler fans, realize that I am a Pirate fan too. My summers are as painful as my winters are enjoyable. Ta Da! How sweeet it is! Early Super Bowl prediction. Steelers 30 - Cards 21 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/58 "2009-01-19T14:36:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m still reeling at the idea of the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. It’s like the Cubs being in the World Series. Well, it’s pretty close, isn’t it! A mere three years difference. :eek: I’m hoping they WIN the thing. Not just because I don’t want another Steelers Super Bowl victory, but also because the thought of another 9 - 7 NFL Champion is enjoyable. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/59 "2009-01-19T14:42:10Z")
I just wanted to chime in and after sleeping on it, I decided I still hate and loathe the goddamn Shittsburgh Squeelers with every fibre of my being. That’s the “color me jealous” kind of hate from a Bengals fan. Goddammit. I hope the Cardinals can pull off the upset. They better start sending the SB refs money now and hope they can outbid the Steelers for officiating favors… ---
**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 19, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412/60 "2009-01-19T16:10:37Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Since your body is two yards long, your observation means nothing more than that he fell forward with the ball in his hands, and as he was hitting the ground, it came out. > > The rule is not ambigous. Indeed, it is crystal clear. If the receiver, during the catch, is in contact with the defensive player, he must maintain control of the ball all the way to and through contact with the ground. Nothing ambigous about it at all. Well, I can’t locate a copy of the NFL rulebook online (which I attempted to do last night after the game)-I am talking strictly about time of control and at what point is control firmly established. If you are running when you make the catch _I believe_ you need two strides to establish control, but if you are diving (hence the feet are not in contact with the turf), when is control established? If football were played on the moon, and a player dove, caught the ball (in contact with an opposing player, as you say), sailed forward through the air for 5 seconds, for a total distance of 10 yards, hits the ground and the ball pops out upon contact with the ground, that _still_ isn’t a catch? But if he runs that distance (identical time) for say 6 strides, it is. That is my point of contention, even if the rule you are alluding to (which I can’t find) is “crystal clear”-it would seem that diving for a ball is disadvantagous in this particular instance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-conference-championship-games/481412.md?page=4)