# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/141 "2019-01-14T00:15:06Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > There’s not enough Patriots love in this thread. It’s calm confidence. Let the yahoos of the one-year-wonder teams get excited. ---
**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 14, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/142 "2019-01-14T00:22:46Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Football was a better game before the 2004 pass interference “focus” changes meant to cater to Peyton Manning. This game feels like a throwback to that, where the DBs can play a bit. Eagles drive saved by a tickytack DPI call. But comes to nothing. ---
**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 14, 2019, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/143 "2019-01-14T00:26:35Z")
Saints impressed me. After a horrible start they recovered nicely. They can all but seal the win with a good drive now. ---
**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 14, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/144 "2019-01-14T00:40:04Z")
Poor Alshon. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/145 "2019-01-14T00:51:10Z")
Conference championship games feel “right” for this year. What were clearly the three best teams this year, plus what has been clearly the best team over the last 20. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/146 "2019-01-14T01:00:25Z")
Geaux Saints! I’m so relieved. What a game. ---
**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 14, 2019, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/147 "2019-01-14T01:04:40Z")
All home teams won this weekend. ---
**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 14, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/148 "2019-01-14T01:24:12Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Pretty horrific officiating call last night - the ref ruled that Dak was sacked on 3rd down - by a fellow Cowboys player! I loved that call, and not even because I hate the Cowboys. I loved that finally, FINALLY, a bullshit ticky-tack protect-the-QB call ended up hurting the offense instead of the defense. 7249 more of those and we’ll start to reach equilibrium. My favorite part of this weekend was from the Eagles @ Saints game, when they put up the “He’s Mr. Clutch!” graphic about how Nick Foles was 79.2% completions on 3rd & 4th down, 10 TDs, 1 Int, and had a passer rating of like 138. Of course I immediately thought to myself “Now watch he shits the bed on 3rd down in this game.” And yep; his next four 3rd down passes were incomplete. Five if you count the one that was rendered moot by a defensive penalty. All four teams I was rooting for won, and now I’m totally on the Chiefs bandwagon. (It helps that Kelce and Williams carried my fantasy team to victory this year.) I’d love to see a Chiefs/Rams Superbowl, but if it happens I’ll be bummed it came too late for a Missouri showdown. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/149 "2019-01-14T01:28:58Z")
To whoever it was wondering upthread why the Eagles are committed to Carson Wentz over Nick Foles for the long-term: _that’s_ why. ---
**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 14, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/150 "2019-01-14T01:48:15Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > All home teams won this weekend. And by extension, no team that played Wildcard Weekend is playing in the Conference Championships. ---
**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 14, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/151 "2019-01-14T02:17:03Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > To whoever it was wondering upthread why the Eagles are committed to Carson Wentz over Nick Foles for the long-term: _that’s_ why. I don’t get it. Foles didn’t cost them the game; butter-fingered receivers did. ---
**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 14, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/152 "2019-01-14T02:20:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > And by extension, no team that played Wildcard Weekend is playing in the Conference Championships. That bye week really helps. 🙂 ---
**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 14, 2019, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/153 "2019-01-14T04:39:07Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t get it. Foles didn’t cost them the game; butter-fingered receivers did. Foles threw for 201 yards, 1 td, and 2 interceptions. Not a great showing. After a very good first quarter, he was just plain bad. He certainly didnt cost them the game, but he also had many opportunities to win it for them and failed. Foles was a great story, was a ton of fun, and played very well at times. Enjoy that part. But he’s pretty much just an average NFL QB who played great for a little while at the right time. Maybe he can parlay that into a huge contract and a secure starting gig like Eli Manning and Joe Flacco, two other average NFL QB’s who had very brief bouts of greatness at the right time. ---
**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 14, 2019, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/154 "2019-01-14T08:48:26Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Foles threw for 201 yards, 1 td, and 2 interceptions. Not a great showing. After a very good first quarter, he was just plain bad. He certainly didnt cost them the game, but he also had many opportunities to win it for them and failed. > > Foles was a great story, was a ton of fun, and played very well at times. Enjoy that part. But he’s pretty much just an average NFL QB who played great for a little while at the right time. Maybe he can parlay that into a huge contract and a secure starting gig like Eli Manning and Joe Flacco, two other average NFL QB’s who had very brief bouts of greatness at the right time. Lol. Foles had his team driving in the last two minutes. Playing in one of the toughest road stadiums in football. The Eagle running game was anemic. He was far and away the best of the losing QBs this weekend. ---
**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 14, 2019, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/155 "2019-01-14T12:19:50Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Lol. Foles had his team driving in the last two minutes. Playing in one of the toughest road stadiums in football. The Eagle running game was anemic. He was far and away the best of the losing QBs this weekend. Now you’re just being silly. Phillip Rivers threw for 130 more yards, 2 more TDs, and 1 fewer interception and lost (thanks to a defense that gave up almost 500 yards of total offense). Dak Prescott threw for 60 more yards, same td’s and no interceptions, which was a pedestrian showing, but still much more efficient than Foles. And Luck was about the same without the interceptions. Foles’ performance yesterday was like his career. A short bout of greatness (the first quarter), but mostly just pedestrian. He missed a bunch of throws, couldnt move the ball, and needed a defense playing prevent to find success late. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/156 "2019-01-14T13:29:20Z")
I don’t want to take the role of Guy Who Dumps on Nick Foles; he seems like a cool dude, and his story is a great story. He does some good things, he does some bad things, and on a good team with a good defense, he can win games… but he’s not a guy who makes a fundamental difference. The Eagles scored 14 points against the Saints yesterday (who allowed an average of 22 points per game during the season), and 16 against the Bears last weekend (who allowed an average of 18 points per game during the season). Allowing for the fact that the Eagles were on the road for both games, this is the Platonic ideal of league-average quarterback play. And _this is not an insult_ - there is genuine value in a league-average quarterback. I know because my own team won two Super Bowls with a (slightly better than) league-average quarterback, and they would not have won those Super Bowls with a worse one. But the Eagles believe Carson Wentz can be something bigger than a guy who gives you a chance every week - they believe he could be an actually _good_ quarterback, one who is the “reason they won” rather than “not the reason they lost.” ---
**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 14, 2019, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/157 "2019-01-14T14:23:17Z")
I watched Rivers throw a number of good passes that were dropped also. He and Foles both had that problem. The difference is that Rivers still was more productive because he’s actually a better than average passer (much better than average this year, this year we was very good). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/158 "2019-01-14T14:36:51Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > But the Eagles believe Carson Wentz can be something bigger than a guy who gives you a chance every week - they believe he could be an actually _good_ quarterback, one who is the “reason they won” rather than “not the reason they lost.” At some point they’re going to have to wonder if Wentz can stay on the field consistently enough to be That Quarterback, though. Maybe they need somebody dependable instead. ---
**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 14, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/159 "2019-01-14T15:29:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > All home teams won this weekend. > [@Telemark](#): > > And by extension, no team that played Wildcard Weekend is playing in the Conference Championships. I was wondering when was the last time this happened. Turns out it was only 3 years ago, in January of 2016, following the 2015 season. In the conference championship games, both the #1 seeds defeated the #2 seeds. In the AFC, Denver defeated New England, while in the NFC, Carolina defeated Arizona. I had totally forgotten that the Cardinals were 13-3 just 3 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008/160 "2019-01-14T16:42:47Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Its fucking exhausting listening to Aikman and Buck talk about Cole Beasley and his injury. I find it exhausting that Aikman gets to show his bias for Dallas every time he calls one of their games. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs-2018-edition/827008.md?page=9)