# NFL Divisional Weekend **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 15, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753 "2011-01-15T21:55:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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 16, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/21 "2011-01-16T01:13:24Z")
I didn’t think any team could drop more balls than the Jets. I was wrong. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/22 "2011-01-16T01:14:29Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > That second-half performance by Baltimore (or, at least, by the offense) was one of the worst halves of football i can remember. The defense was awfully poor too. Dumb penalties and poor tackling all around. The Steelers offense was shaky at best and were in 2nd and 3rd and long all half and they constantly converted. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/23 "2011-01-16T01:16:46Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I didn’t think any team could drop more balls than the Jets. I was wrong. The Ravens had the fewest dropped passes in the league in the regular season. I guess they were saving 'em all for today. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/24 "2011-01-16T01:20:54Z")
I’m always hesitant to say that a team choked – as opposed to simply getting beaten – but it sure felt like Baltimore came out of halftime spooked by the thought of having to close out their lead. > [@Omniscient](#): > > When are the Refs going to learn that pancaking a guy to the ground IS NOT a HOLD? Referring to the punt return? In that case (and I’m not 100% confident in my understanding of the rules), I think that a blocker can grab the front of the jersey as long as he “gets fit” (i.e., is more or less chest-to-chest with the defender), but if the defender breaks away backwards or to the side and the blocker’s arms are thus extended, he has to let go. That looks like what the Baltimore player failed to do, though we didn’t get any great angles on replay. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/25 "2011-01-16T01:23:32Z")
In Dom we trust. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/26 "2011-01-16T01:26:24Z")
My Steelers pulled it out, but damn, the Ravens played a hell of game! ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/27 "2011-01-16T01:27:52Z")
_sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/28 "2011-01-16T01:29:43Z")
Ha ha. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/29 "2011-01-16T01:30:08Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > I’m always hesitant to say that a team choked – as opposed to simply getting beaten – but it sure felt like Baltimore came out of halftime spooked by the thought of having to close out their lead. > Referring to the punt return? In that case (and I’m not 100% confident in my understanding of the rules), I think that a blocker can grab the front of the jersey as long as he “gets fit” (i.e., is more or less chest-to-chest with the defender), but if the defender breaks away backwards or to the side and the blocker’s arms are thus extended, he has to let go. That looks like what the Baltimore player failed to do, though we didn’t get any great angles on replay. The Raven was pushing, not pulling. If he was pulling he wouldn’t have ended up on top of him. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/30 "2011-01-16T01:31:17Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > _sigh_ > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Ha ha. I am SO CONFLICTED! ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/31 "2011-01-16T01:35:33Z")
Dirty Birds! ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/32 "2011-01-16T01:35:34Z")
The Atlanta crowd is kind of stupid, isn’t it? They seemed like they were trying to make a ton of noise when their own offense was running a 4th and 1. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/33 "2011-01-16T01:44:53Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The Atlanta crowd is kind of stupid, isn’t it? They seemed like they were trying to make a ton of noise when their own offense was running a 4th and 1. From the sounds of things those weren’t Falcons fans. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/34 "2011-01-16T01:48:58Z")
Maybe. From what I hear about the sports fans in Atlanta (from people who live in Atlanta), I don’t find it hard to believe they don’t understand when and why you’re supposed to make noise. But you might be right. I don’t watch enough Atlanta games to know if this is a problem with them. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/35 "2011-01-16T01:54:59Z")
Nice drive by the Packers. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/36 "2011-01-16T01:56:08Z")
Classic Packers Special Teams. ---
**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 16, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/37 "2011-01-16T01:56:11Z")
Aaaaaand, special teams meltdown. It’s called tackling, boys. You might want to give it a try. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/38 "2011-01-16T01:59:37Z")
Ha ha. 14-7 Dirty Birds! ---
**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 16, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/39 "2011-01-16T02:00:18Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Maybe. From what I hear about the sports fans in Atlanta (from people who live in Atlanta), I don’t find it hard to believe they don’t understand when and why you’re supposed to make noise. But you might be right. I don’t watch enough Atlanta games to know if this is a problem with them. Atlanta Falcons fans suck, and Atlanta sports fans in general suck. They deserve little credit, but they are still in College Football country. I’m will to give them the benefit of the doubt on this one, though it’s easy to joke that this is all new to them. From the cheering it’s pretty obvious that there’s a huge Packers contingent there, and I know that when the Bears have played in Atlanta in recent years it’s almost a home game for them. ---
**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 16, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753/40 "2011-01-16T02:11:19Z")
Another nice drive by the Packers to tie the game. Cool to see BJ Raji as a lead blocker and a TD by Kuhn. The offense is really looking good, as is Rodgers. I just hope it’s not going to be like last game with stellar yardage totals resulting in a loss. At the very least, the game so far has been like watching the Packers all season. Mistakes and poor special teams play eliminate how well the team plays. At least it’s tied now. It will be fascinating to see how the defense responds now, they’ve been off the field for awhile. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-divisional-weekend/567753.md?page=3)