# NFL Week 1 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 5, 2013, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059 "2013-09-05T08:18:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**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:** [September 8, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/101 "2013-09-08T21:35:45Z")
The offensive player has the option to give himself up earlier. They wait to cut it to the last possible second to eek out everything they can out of a play - but that should come at a risk. If they want to play it safe, run out of bounds or slide a yard or two earlier, don’t cut it so close. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/102 "2013-09-08T21:36:05Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > The problem is that you can’t give the defense the benefit of the doubt on a dangerous play like the Geno Smith call, because then everyone will just take a shot on it and someone (probably not even a player) will get hurt. That Clay Matthews play shows how dangerous (and needless) those hits can be. I would agree with the call on Geno Smith either way, but Matthews should have been ejected. As bad as Matthews’ hit, how dumb was the retaliation? ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/103 "2013-09-08T21:48:04Z")
> [@Phlint](#): > > So, it’s not like it mattered much, the Steelers were going to lose anyway, but I don’t understand how head coaches can be paid so much, and still not be able to do simple math. > > Steelers run a play that ends with 2:02 left on the clock in the 4th quarter and they call a timeout (their last) before the 2 minute warning. Of course, their next play is an incomplete pass, so the clock would have stopped anyway. If they had let the clock run to the two minute warning, and then run their play, the incomplete pass play would have left the clock with 1:55 or so remaining + a timeout. Instead, they’re left at 2:00 remaining with 0 timeouts. So, their timeout was worth 5 seconds in this instance. With the play clock being 40 seconds, that seems an awful poor use of a timeout to me. I didn’t seethe game, but based on your post only, I’d just comment and say that Tomlin probably didn’t expect an incompletion there. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/104 "2013-09-08T21:50:38Z")
Panthers defense looked pretty good for most of the game today, but the offense was miserable. Still, if not for DeAngelo Williams’ fumble (and he has been extremely sure-handed over his career) they looked like they were going to have a chance to pull it out. I’m not sure it’s fair to place the blame on Newton, but at some point you have to start winning close games. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/105 "2013-09-08T21:52:21Z")
Phil Dawson just missed a kick because he’s not used to kicking without a 40mph wind. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/106 "2013-09-08T21:54:32Z")
The Matthews’ hit and retaliation were dead ball fouls, and it should have been 4th down instead of replaying 3rd down. Big officiating mistake resulting in a TD over a FG. ---
**Author:** ![Phlint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c89c15/32.png) [@Phlint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlint)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/107 "2013-09-08T21:56:22Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > I didn’t seethe game, but based on your post only, I’d just comment and say that Tomlin probably didn’t expect an incompletion there. Well, that possibility aside (I’d argue he should have thought of that possibility), but even had the pass been complete, what does he gain by calling the timeout rather than having the play run to the 2 minute warning? Let’s pretend the pass was complete. The clock runs and hits the 2 minute warning, and you have 0 timeouts. If you change the order, and run your completed pass play after the 2 minute warning, but before you’ve used your timeout, the play ends at around 1:55 and you use your timeout. So, best case, Tomlin saves 5 seconds by using his timeout before the 2 minute warning. Worse case, you potentially lose 35 seconds worth of benefit the timeout could have gotten you. Doesn’t seem like a worthwhile risk vs. reward to me. ---
**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:** [September 8, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/108 "2013-09-08T21:57:55Z")
```php c ``` Too bad we lost the replacement refs, because Cobb tackled the guy who intercepted a pass, which should count as a TD for the Pack.o ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/109 "2013-09-08T21:58:04Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > As bad as Matthews’ hit, how dumb was the retaliation? The act itself or the offsetting penalty? There was no retaliation that I saw. Staley came in and got in Matthews face and Matthews threw some punches. Not only was it a travesty of a call, but they fucked up the downs and gave the 49ers a free play (this after they got a free timeout and challenge last year… hmm). ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/110 "2013-09-08T21:59:42Z")
> [@Phlint](#): > > Well, that possibility aside (I’d argue he should have thought of that possibility), but even had the pass been complete, what does he gain by calling the timeout rather than having the play run to the 2 minute warning? Let’s pretend the pass was complete. The clock runs and hits the 2 minute warning, and you have 0 timeouts. If you change the order, and run your completed pass play after the 2 minute warning, but before you’ve used your timeout, the play ends at around 1:55 and you use your timeout. > > So, best case, Tomlin saves 5 seconds by using his timeout before the 2 minute warning. Worse case, you potentially lose 35 seconds worth of benefit the timeout could have gotten you. Doesn’t seem like a worthwhile risk vs. reward to me. I get what you’re saying, but IMO, a good coach tries for best-case scenario if he trusts his team, not worst-case. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/111 "2013-09-08T22:01:18Z")
Seriously, if you use your arms, your chances of making a tackle increase by a factor of ten. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/112 "2013-09-08T22:13:28Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > The act itself or the offsetting penalty? There was no retaliation that I saw. Staley came in and got in Matthews face and Matthews threw some punches. Not only was it a travesty of a call, but they fucked up the downs and gave the 49ers a free play (this after they got a free timeout and challenge last year… hmm). In slo-mo, it does look like Matthews hit first (after Staley knocked helmets, but not hard enough to really be a head butt). But it also looked like Staley pushed a ref while not looking back at who was tugging at him, and that’s when the flag flew. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/113 "2013-09-08T22:16:50Z")
I thought Matthews should have been tossed. He was swinging his hands in there (though I did not see a clenched fist), after a blatant cheapshot. ---
**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:** [September 9, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/114 "2013-09-09T00:02:55Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > It’s like watching the Bears’ games from last year. The Bears defense gets three turnovers, Cutler makes a stupid throw to go with some nice ones, and the Bears get a win against a team that shoots themselves in the foot. Yeah, that was a painfully bad way for the Bengals to lose a game that they really should have won. And once again, I’d like to nominate Marvin Lewis as the worst game manager in the NFL. Those wasted timeouts in the second half because he couldn’t get the proper amount of players on the field on essentially two consecutive plays was just awful. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/115 "2013-09-09T00:32:36Z")
Ha, Demarcus!!! ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/116 "2013-09-09T01:10:36Z")
It looks as if the Giants picked up right where they left off last year, at least on offense. Stupid Eli decisions? Yep! David Wilson fumbling? You bet! Giants are hapless on first-and-goal? Right there! The Giants MUST get a goal-line inside runner on the roster. I will be covering my eyes every time Wilson tries to run up the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/117 "2013-09-09T01:36:36Z")
Good to see the Giants are still faking injuries like they have for years. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/118 "2013-09-09T01:38:10Z")
I’m missing _Breaking Bad_ for this? The only reason this isn’t a blowout is that the Cowgirls are almost as bad as the Gints. And of course, Witten gets the TD as I type. Any Cowgirl TD is bad, but Witten is even worse from a fantasy perspective. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/119 "2013-09-09T01:54:20Z")
Romo just went down with a possible injury. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059/120 "2013-09-09T01:57:03Z")
Hope it keeps him out for the rest of the game, and then flares back up in warm ups for their second game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-week-1/668059.md?page=7)