# NFL Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 6, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477 "2017-01-06T19:52:59Z")\ **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 8, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/41 "2017-01-08T23:48:33Z")
Nice stop on 4th down by the Giants defense. I’m not sure I would have gone for it there. ---
**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 8, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/42 "2017-01-08T23:59:44Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Nice stop on 4th down by the Giants defense. I’m not sure I would have gone for it there. Agreed. Very strange decision, as was handing it to Montgomery, who’s had very little success today. And, it came back to bite the Pack nearly instantly. At least the offense responded with their own TD. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/43 "2017-01-09T00:00:35Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > The Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2006 and 2009. Yes, but Pittsburgh also _lost_ the SB in 2011; NY last _lost_ the SB 10 years before that. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/44 "2017-01-09T00:46:44Z")
Packers seem to play lousy or very good, with not a lot in between. Brian ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/45 "2017-01-09T01:03:20Z")
Well, I am glad to say I was wrong in my picked result for the Packers game. 😃 Early picks for next week: Pats, Steelers, Seahawks, 'Boys. I’m going to maybe re-think that Seahawks pick… :dubious: ---
**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 9, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/46 "2017-01-09T01:06:23Z")
Packers get the win. Good game by the defense, and it was nice to see Clay Matthews actually make a play this year. Aaron Rodgers took the first quarter off, but showed again why he’s in the running for MVP for the rest of the game. If the rib injury for Nelson is serious, that could put a big crimp in the Super Bowl chances for the Packers. Davante Adams and Cobb can lessen the blow a bit, but they’ll need all hands on deck to beat the Cowboys. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/47 "2017-01-09T02:48:21Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I do have to chuckle at the various anti-Giants thoughts that are popping up here (or, more precisely, anti-how-the-Giants-are-quarterbacked-and-or-coached). The New York Football Giants have won two Super Bowls in the last ten years, the ONLY team to have accomplished that feat. I remember back to the days of Joe Pisarcik, “The Fumble”, and I have to say that, whatever criticisms one might think to level at the Gints, most of their fans should be pretty damn happy with them these days. 😃 Anti-Eli, not anti-Giants. Their defense was stellar in both SB’s. Eli was mediocre at best with the exception of one drive in each. Saying “They won two rings” says nothing about how they won them. Smashmouth football is how they did it, and Eli had little to do with it. Much like, oh, say, Trent Dilfer, he was just along for the ride. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/48 "2017-01-09T02:50:12Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Packers get the win. Good game by the defense, and it was nice to see Clay Matthews actually make a play this year. Aaron Rodgers took the first quarter off, but showed again why he’s in the running for MVP for the rest of the game. > > If the rib injury for Nelson is serious, that could put a big crimp in the Super Bowl chances for the Packers. Davante Adams and Cobb can lessen the blow a bit, but they’ll need all hands on deck to beat the Cowboys. Adams 125 yds, 1 TD Cobb 116 yds, 3 TD Guess that lessened the blow quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/49 "2017-01-09T03:40:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Anti-Eli, not anti-Giants. Their defense was stellar in both SB’s. Eli was mediocre at best with the exception of one drive in each. Saying “They won two rings” says nothing about how they won them. Smashmouth football is how they did it, and Eli had little to do with it. Much like, oh, say, Trent Dilfer, he was just along for the ride. There were references to Tom Coughlin, too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/50 "2017-01-09T12:34:23Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > There were references to Tom Coughlin, too. 😉 Whether or not Coughlin can coach has no bearing on his relationship with the camera. ---
**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 9, 2017, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/51 "2017-01-09T12:53:34Z")
Games pretty much went as I thought they would. The only ‘surprise’ was the margin of victory for Green Bay. I thought the Giants would be better, and they were in the first half, but the hail Mary was a dagger strike they never recovered from. Next week ought to be a little more interesting. I haven’t kept up with football as much as I used to but Pitt @ KC is an interesting match-up. I think the Chiefs probably have the edge but the Steelers have a lot of offensive weapons to play with. I don’t see Houston winning in NE but it’ll be interesting to see if the defense can stop the run, put pressure on Brady, and make the Patriots earn the victory. On the NFC side, I think the Cowboys are talented but they’re going to be in over their heads against Rodgers’ offense and Matthews’ defense. The Cowboys have a better record, but the Packers have been the best team in the NFC over the last 8 or 9 games. The toughest to call is Seattle @ Atlanta. I like Atlanta because of how Matt Ryan is playing. Seattle’s defense is good but I don’t think it’s as good as it has been in the past. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/52 "2017-01-09T12:58:12Z")
I didn’t see it live, but what a mistake on that fumble by the Giants. Unless you hear a whistle, fall on the ball! (it was arguably an incomplete pass, but still fall on the ball until you hear for sure) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/53 "2017-01-09T16:32:14Z")
I would agree that the NYG/Pack game was the only mildly surprising result of the weekend. It kind of sucks there weren’t any close games, though. Next weekend should feature a lot better matchups, except for Texans/Pats. That could get ugly. ---
**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 9, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/54 "2017-01-09T18:59:29Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > On the NFC side, I think the Cowboys are talented but they’re going to be in over their heads against Rodgers’ offense and Matthews’ defense. The Cowboys have a better record, but the Packers have been the best team in the NFC over the last 8 or 9 games. The toughest to call is Seattle @ Atlanta. I like Atlanta because of how Matt Ryan is playing. Seattle’s defense is good but I don’t think it’s as good as it has been in the past. Seattle’s defense is the most consistent part of the team this year. The main problem has been with injuries; they’ve barely had any games with their full roster of defensive starters. In particular, losing Thomas, Chancellor, and Bennett at various points was rough. They’ll be facing Atlanta with a key piece of the secondary missing (Thomas) which is a problem, but then again they faced them with a different key piece missing (Chancellor) and won so it’s doable. On the other hand, that was a home game and the Hawks don’t have a winning road record this year so that might be the difference. I’m just excited to see a second chance at that 2012 playoff game. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/55 "2017-01-09T20:31:40Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I didn’t see it live, but what a mistake on that fumble by the Giants. Unless you hear a whistle, fall on the ball! (it was arguably an incomplete pass, but still fall on the ball until you hear for sure) > > Brian Yeah, how was that not an incomplete?!?! Hand started moving forward, ball comes out in forward direction (“any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass”). I was cheering for the Packers and against the Gints, but that seemed like a royal boning of the NYG by the referees. ---
**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 9, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/56 "2017-01-09T20:40:53Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > Yeah, how was that not an incomplete?!?! Hand started moving forward, ball comes out in forward direction (“any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass”). I was cheering for the Packers and against the Gints, but that seemed like a royal boning of the NYG by the referees. I could have seen that go either way in the review process. As they’d called it a fumble on the field, they would have needed to see “incontrovertible evidence” that Manning had, in fact, already started forward motion. I thought that it was very close, but you can’t use the ball going forward, in and of itself, as proof of what his hand/arm was 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 9, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/57 "2017-01-09T21:02:04Z")
Jordy Nelson is likely out for the rest of the playoffs, having suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a lacerated spleen from the hit in yesterday’s game. [http://www.12up.com/posts/4384791-report-jordy-nelson-dealing-with-multiple-severe-injuries-from-devastating-hit](http://www.12up.com/posts/4384791-report-jordy-nelson-dealing-with-multiple-severe-injuries-from-devastating-hit) ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/58 "2017-01-09T21:15:13Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Jordy Nelson is likely out for the rest of the playoffs, having suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a lacerated spleen from the hit in yesterday’s game. > > [http://www.12up.com/posts/4384791-report-jordy-nelson-dealing-with-multiple-severe-injuries-from-devastating-hit](http://www.12up.com/posts/4384791-report-jordy-nelson-dealing-with-multiple-severe-injuries-from-devastating-hit) That first tweet was just speculation from someone who hasn’t actually treated Nelson. It looks like everyone else is running with it as a fact. ---
**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 9, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/59 "2017-01-09T21:17:59Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > That first tweet was just speculation from someone who hasn’t actually treated Nelson. It looks like everyone else is running with it as a fact. Good point; I was skimming, and not reading for comprehension. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477/60 "2017-01-09T21:35:15Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > That first tweet was just speculation from someone who hasn’t actually treated Nelson. It looks like everyone else is running with it as a fact. The only “official” report so far is McCarthy saying it’s a “rib injury.” nelson spent the night in the hospital, which isn’t encouraging. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-playoffs/776477.md?page=4)