# NFL Playoffs - 2018 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 31, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008 "2018-12-31T22:47:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/81 "2019-01-07T01:34:13Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I didn’t even know til last night that you can dropkick a kickoff. > > So can you do a kickoff without a stand? If i stand right over the ball, put my foot under it and lob it 10 yards, can they call a fair catch even if the ball started on the ground? Cause I could turn just about any kick into a 10 yard jump ball that way. Dickson has done it a handful of times over the season with mixed results. It’s much less predictable which is why it’s not something you want to do all the time. And it’s not a drop kick like a punt (you kick as you’re dropping it). It has to bounce off the ground first. You drop it, let it hit the ground, then kick it as it’s bouncing back up. You can even kick a field goal that way, but again it’s very unpredictable. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/82 "2019-01-07T01:55:33Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I didn’t even know til last night that you can dropkick a kickoff. > > So can you do a kickoff without a stand? If i stand right over the ball, put my foot under it and lob it 10 yards, can they call a fair catch even if the ball started on the ground? Cause I could turn just about any kick into a 10 yard jump ball that way. Yes the receiving team can call for a fair catch on a kickoff kick. But they can only do so if the ball is in flight. Once the ball has touched the ground, you can’t ‘fair catch’ it. That is why onside kicks are kicked so the bounce immediately. And touching the ground when it’s on the tee or here in the drop kick doesn’t count. It must touch the ground after the kick. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/83 "2019-01-07T01:58:26Z")
[https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2018-nfl-rulebook/#article-5.-reviewable-plays](https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2018-nfl-rulebook/#article-5.-reviewable-plays) > [@](#): > > If an on-field ruling of a dead ball (down by contact, out of bounds, or incomplete forward pass) is changed, the ball belongs to the recovering player at the spot of the recovery, and any advance is nullified. The recovery must occur in the continuing action following the loss of possession. If the ball goes out of bounds in an end zone, the result of the play will be either a touchback or a safety. If the Referee does not have clear and obvious visual evidence as to which player recovered the loose ball, or that the ball went out of bounds, the ruling on the field will stand. I think they didn’t have much of a choice based on the rules as written. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/84 "2019-01-07T02:05:28Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Wow that was a clunker of an ending for the Bears. Actually, from the replay, a double-clunker. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/85 "2019-01-07T03:29:52Z")
My BOYS haven’t won a road playoff game since…1992/3. The 1992/3 NFC Championship game against San Francisco…that was the last road win (Super Bowls don’t count). ---
**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, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/86 "2019-01-07T03:45:34Z")
Wouldn’t it have been best to just place the ball on the tee and have the Seahawks punter kick it onside like a kicker would have? Even if un-trained for that, probably would have worked better for Seattle than what they ended up doing. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/87 "2019-01-07T04:06:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Wouldn’t it have been best to just place the ball on the tee and have the Seahawks punter kick it onside like a kicker would have? Even if un-trained for that, probably would have worked better for Seattle than what they ended up doing. Possibly, but my guess would be that Dickson has practiced an onside kick from a tee even less than he has a dropkick. Due to the new rules about how kickoff coverage teams can line up, and that they can’t have a running start, onside kickoffs are even more difficult to convert, even with a kicker who’s been practicing them – I heard a stat during the game yesterday that, before the rule change, onside kicks were converted at about 20%, and they’re now under 10%. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/88 "2019-01-07T04:26:55Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Rules guru on the broadcast says the officials didn’t know what to do and just made it up on the spot. > [@DCnDC](#): > > The official ran up and signaled incomplete while the ball was still rolling, then _picked it up_. Based on that, treating it as incomplete, no matter what else happened, was the _closest_ to the correct call, I suppose. > [@kopek](#): > > Or would it have been possible to call it a “no play” and give them the down back? What just is the rule when an official interferes by accident in fair play? > > No matter what I know that the call is going to be a major subject of discussion tomorrow at the league offices. > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I can’t agree with this. It’s literally the opposite of what happened. Incomplete vs complete. > > Probably replaying the down is the most fair. > > What would they do if an official slapped down a pass or tackled a player? > [@pulykamell](#): > > Oddly enough, my brother and I were discussing this exact situation watching some NFL game in the past few weeks for some reason wondering what in the hell happens in such a case. (Must of been something similar that happened in the game, but not quite.) I guess now we know. Or do we? > > As a Bears fan, I did think it would have been a little cheap if the Bears got the ball at the spot of the catch and fumble. I mean, the play was ruled dead, and clearly the Eagles would have picked it up if it weren’t. But calling the blown call against the Bears (by wasting the down and ruling it an incomplete) also seems a bit cheap to me. Replaying the down as if it never happened seems the fairest outcome, but does it happen? And what would have happened if a Bear picked up the ball? The play was whistled dead, right? The League has confirmed that the referees got it right on review. On review of a called incomplete pass where the other option is a catch followed by a fumble, the call of incomplete can only be overturned if there was a clear recovery of the “fumble.” If not, the play must stand as incomplete. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/89 "2019-01-07T04:34:44Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > My BOYS haven’t won a road playoff game since…1992/3. The 1992/3 NFC Championship game against San Francisco…that was the last road win (Super Bowls don’t count). Your Boys are going to be handled next week like altar boys in a room full of drunk priests. ---
**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, 2019, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/90 "2019-01-07T04:38:21Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Your Boys are going to be handled next week like altar boys in a room full of drunk priests. I think it’ll be a lot more evenly matched than that. Rams have the NFL’s worst rushing defense, allowing five yards per carry. I could see Ezekiel Elliott running for 150 yards on the Rams, maybe even 180. ---
**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, 2019, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/91 "2019-01-07T06:03:25Z")
Parkey’s kick was [tipped](https://twitter.com/ScottGustin/status/1082095504970919936?s=19). ---
**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, 2019, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/92 "2019-01-07T07:37:34Z")
Can someone explain to me (non-Eagles fan) why Foles isn’t the entrenched starting QB? Is it simply that Wentz is more highly paid, and conventional wisdom dictates that the highly-paid guy must start? Because it seems that Foles has quite demonstrably shown that he is better than Wentz, and has the “it factor” that Wentz lacks. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/93 "2019-01-07T08:52:27Z")
Eeeeeeee is for Eagles… BOO-Yeah! Watch us be the first team to win all playoff games by missed field goals. 😃 We’re up for anything new. Saints are too weak from that bye week. (I hope) ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/94 "2019-01-07T08:54:48Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Can someone explain to me (non-Eagles fan) why Foles isn’t the entrenched starting QB? Is it simply that Wentz is more highly paid, and conventional wisdom dictates that the highly-paid guy must start? Because it seems that Foles has quite demonstrably shown that he is better than Wentz, and has the “it factor” that Wentz lacks. Wentz is currently listed as injured. [Not expected to return this season.](https://heavy.com/sports/2019/01/carson-wentz-injury-what-happened-return-back/) ---
**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 7, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/95 "2019-01-07T12:45:37Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Can someone explain to me (non-Eagles fan) why Foles isn’t the entrenched starting QB? Wentz is the better/younger/more upside QB. > [@Velocity](#): > > Is it simply that Wentz is more highly paid, and conventional wisdom dictates that the highly-paid guy must start? Because it seems that Foles has quite demonstrably shown that he is better than Wentz, and has the “it factor” that Wentz lacks. I’m curious why, after a game where he threw two interceptions and had a woeful 77.7 passer rating, you would say that Foles has “demonstrably shown” that he is better than Wentz. Foles, like most average NFL QBs, has had very good games (last years’ playoff run), and very bad games (his final two starts before the playoffs last year), and a big chunk of “Meh” games (most of his career before last years’ playoff run). He just so happened to have his very good games at very opportune times, ala Joe Flacco or Eli Manning. But overall, he has not “demonstrably shown” he’s better than Wentz. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/96 "2019-01-07T14:38:18Z")
At my wife’s urging, I watched my first moments of NFL this year - the final 1.25 qtrs of the Bears game. What made that missed FG especially stunning was that he had striped it moments earlier, when the Eagles called a TO just before the snap. I don’t miss having my emotions tied to some athletes’ performance. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/97 "2019-01-07T14:46:15Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Wentz is the better/younger/more upside QB. I’m curious why, after a game where he threw two interceptions and had a woeful 77.7 passer rating, you would say that Foles has “demonstrably shown” that he is better than Wentz. Foles, like most average NFL QBs, has had very good games (last years’ playoff run), and very bad games (his final two starts before the playoffs last year), and a big chunk of “Meh” games (most of his career before last years’ playoff run). He just so happened to have his very good games at very opportune times, ala Joe Flacco or Eli Manning. But overall, he has not “demonstrably shown” he’s better than Wentz. Yeah, but it’s going to odd if the Eagles win again and release him/let him go to free-agency. That’s going to be a bar trivia question in about 10 years: What QB won two Super Bowls and was released the next year by his team? ---
**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, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/98 "2019-01-07T14:54:59Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > At my wife’s urging, I watched my first moments of NFL this year - the final 1.25 qtrs of the Bears game. > > What made that missed FG especially stunning was that he had striped it moments earlier, when the Eagles called a TO just before the snap. > > I don’t miss having my emotions tied to some athletes’ performance. I’m sure that’s not coincidental. I see it often in games where a kicker lines up and kicks as the timeout is called, and makes the field goal, then has to kick again and misses. A kicker spends time doing practice kicks and getting mentally and physically prepared for the kick on the sideline before it’s his chance to make the attempt, and you can see he’s ready on the first kick because he made it (though it didn’t count). Having to kick again ruins his preparation, and he misses. There’s even a term for it, “icing the kicker”, and that’s precisely why Philadelphia spent their last time out to do it. It doesn’t always work but it often does. And Parkey is not the league’s best kicker anyway. I know there’s evidence that the kick was tipped so it might not be his fault, but sometimes the timing or the way the ball is kicked can make it easier for a defender to get a hand on it, so that doesn’t necessarily absolve him of all blame. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/99 "2019-01-07T15:35:59Z")
Saints have been installed as a 9 point favorite. Geaux Saints! ---
**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, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/100 "2019-01-07T15:39:14Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > At my wife’s urging, I watched my first moments of NFL this year - the final 1.25 qtrs of the Bears game. > > What made that missed FG especially stunning was that he had striped it moments earlier, when the Eagles called a TO just before the snap. > > I don’t miss having my emotions tied to some athletes’ performance. Icing the kicker has been a thing for well over a decade. There’s even an instance of a coach accidentally icing his own kicker. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett called timeout in 2011 just before Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey nailed a would-be game-winner against the Cardinals. Bailey then had to kick a 2nd time, and missed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008.md?page=6)