OT 2026 NFL playoffs

[Scoe]

That’s not a catch

 

[Kolumbo]

That’s not a catch

If it's a catch I don't understand why it's not a fumble

 

[superjohn]

Nobody knows what a catch is anymore. The NFL is comical.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That botched punt catch was the play of the game.

Nice win by the Seahawks.

 

[Scoe]

Pats will beat the Seahawks

 

[storrsroars]

Taking the FG would've made these last 26 seconds interesting.

 

[JwittersPAC]

Pats will beat the Seahawks

Of course since they have Maye who was tremendous in the game against the Broncos. That 9 yard drive he led was the best I have ever seen.

 

[RuffRuff]

That botched punt catch was the play of the game.

Nice win by the Seahawks.

Really was. Turning point.

 

[JwittersPAC]

Really was. Turning point.

Both games won by botched plays. Bronco QB bad play and Rams botched punt return,

 

[Kolumbo]

Taking the FG would've made these last 26 seconds interesting.

Taking the FG would have changed how the rest of the game played out but yes it still likely would have been a more interesting finish.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

This is crazy, captured by the moment, hyperbole.

He has the right team, just the wrong year. Super Bowl XX (1985 season, Jan-86 Super Bowl) holds the crown.

 

[Scoe]

If you were going for it on 4th why not try to run it with Kyren Williams so it’s puts you in a 4th and 2 situation or shorter, a shot gun draw to catch Seahawks off guard.

 

[mauconnfan]

For all the complaints about offense, the Patriots are now the only team in NFL history to face and beat three top 5 defenses in the playoffs. If they face and beat Seattle it will be four.

And each of those teams offenses were some of the worse ever seen in the playoffs. Congrats to Vrabel for making his defense even better come playoff time but man these were ugly. But no matter, they’re wins!

 

[Scoe]

Mcvay going for it on 4th down was probably the right call, let's just say it far less of an egregious decision than Sean Payton going for it with Stidham.

I probably would've kicked the fg myself, your losing so you have to take your chances, taking the fg and relying on your D to get a stop is also a risk. I would've ran the ball on 3rd and 5 with Karen Williams or a screen pass to set up a 4th and 2 or shorter.

 

[Deepster]

I think I mentioned it before in another thread. I'm just some couch potato who knows nothing about football, but I don't understand the widespread going for it on 4th down, especially giving up free pts with easy FGs that goes on today.

I'm sure there's math behind it, but you're up 7-0 (one score) with the chance to go up 2 scores. With that defense, at home, nevermind the weather reports.....why don't you force a 2nd year QB to put together 2 scoring drives against you? They had 11 total yds to that point. And maybe they fumble (Stevenson fumbles and Maye had lost a bunch recently) or Surtain gets a pick?

I don't know. And it's not Monday Morning QB because I screamed the same thing at the TV as it happened.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think I mentioned it before in another thread. I'm just some couch potato who knows nothing about football, but I don't understand the widespread going for it on 4th down, especially giving up free pts with easy FGs that goes on today.

I'm sure there's math behind it, but you're up 7-0 (one score) with the chance to go up 2 scores. With that defense, at home, nevermind the weather reports.....why don't you force a 2nd year QB to put together 2 scoring drives against you? They had 11 total yds to that point. And maybe they fumble (Stevenson fumbles and Maye had lost a bunch recently) or Surtain gets a pick?

I don't know. And it's not Monday Morning QB because I screamed the same thing at the TV as it happened.

In many cases analytics support, but situationally that was a clear case where taking the FG was the right move. All time poor decision there by Peyton. Very strong likelihood if they got that 3, they would have won. They could have literally run & punted for the rest of the game and had a chance to win it.

The entire game was predicated by 2-3 plays as there was a lot of nothing going on for much of it given the conditions.

1) That Peyton call to go for it
2) Stidham fumble
3) Blocked FG

There is a reasonable chance that if Stidham just throws it away normally, Pats would never have gotten a TD.

And that's kinda it. Very weird game. I guess you can add in the early Denver bomb on 3rd and 10 as the other meaningful play as a wild mistake by the Pats secondary.

 

[Scoe]

The nfl is so watered down now that if you had a 48 year old Tom Brady at QB and a 100 year old Marv Leavy as HC they could probably win a Super Bowl in this era.

 

[boba]

This Patriots team is maybe the worst team to ever make a Super Bowl, the worst I can remember but I can't stand Sean Payton's arrogant arse. Somebody had to make it out of a terrible AFC but good lord has New England been lucky on their way to SB.

1985 Patriots went to the Super Bowl. That team was balanced, which is what made them good. Unfortunately they were uniformly mediocre on offense and defense and just pretty good on special teams. The 1985 Bears were of course the '85 Bears. I remember those teams.

 

[RuffRuff]

The nfl is so watered down now that if you had a 48 year old Tom Brady at QB and a 100 year old Marv Leavy as HC they could probably win a Super Bowl in this era.

You'd get many arguing very differently. There's just a lot of parity by design.

 

[Scoe]

1985 Patriots went to the Super Bowl. That team was balanced, which is what made them good. Unfortunately they were uniformly mediocre on offense and defense and just pretty good on special teams. The 1985 Bears were of course the '85 Bears. I remember those teams.

Bears lucked out a bit that they didn't have to face Marino in that Super Bowl, doubt the Dolphins win though they probably get destroyed in a rematch.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This Patriots team is maybe the worst team to ever make a Super Bowl, the worst I can remember but I can't stand Sean Payton's arrogant arse. Somebody had to make it out of a terrible AFC but good lord has New England been lucky on their way to SB.

This is just silly really. They had the third best PF/PA in the NFL at +170 behind Seattle and the Rams. They had a top 5 offense (#2 in EPA) and just about a top 5 defense, certainly it is when healthy with Gonzo and Williams. They are underdogs by 4.5 points, but the 2001 team was underdogs by 14. Meanwhile, the Giants teams that beat the Patriots were both far, far worse than this Patriots team. The 1990 Broncos lost to the 49ers by 45. The 1986 Patriots were a lot worse than this team. Tony Eason was QB.

This team isn't close to the worst to make it to the Superbowl.

 

[RuffRuff]

This is just silly really. They had the third best PF/PA in the NFL at +170 behind Seattle and the Rams. They had a top 5 offense (#2 in EPA) and just about a top 5 defense, certainly it is when healthy with Gonzo and Williams. They are underdogs by 4.5 points, but the 2001 team was underdogs by 14. Meanwhile, the Giants teams that beat the Patriots were both far, far worse than this Patriots team. The 1990 Broncos lost to the 49ers by 45. The 1986 Patriots were a lot worse than this team. Tony Eason was QB.

This team isn't close to the worst to make it to the Superbowl.

AFC teams were getting crushed by the NFC from 1985 to 1997.

 

[superjohn]

This is just silly really. They had the third best PF/PA in the NFL at +170 behind Seattle and the Rams. They had a top 5 offense (#2 in EPA) and just about a top 5 defense, certainly it is when healthy with Gonzo and Williams. They are underdogs by 4.5 points, but the 2001 team was underdogs by 14. Meanwhile, the Giants teams that beat the Patriots were both far, far worse than this Patriots team. The 1990 Broncos lost to the 49ers by 45. The 1986 Patriots were a lot worse than this team. Tony Eason was QB.

This team isn't close to the worst to make it to the Superbowl.

Again, they haven't played anyone. The regular season schedule was an absolute joke, historically weak. The AFC stinks and they've been playing against second stringers at key positions throughout the playoffs.

 

[HuskyHawk]

AFC teams were getting crushed by the NFC from 1985 to 1997.

I just find it funny how "didn't play anyone" is a narrative when they faced 3 very tough defenses in bad weather. It's like defense doesn't matter, only offense. Who did Seattle play? The Niners? The Pats would put up 40 on the Niners. The Rams played Carolina, the worst team in the playoffs by far, and barely pulled it out. Carolina was tied in a division where every single team was negative on PF/PA.

Seattle is the most complete team, clearly has been since October. But the next most complete team, offense and defense, all year, was the Patriots.

 

[RuffRuff]

I just find it funny how "didn't play anyone" is a narrative when they faced 3 very tough defenses in bad weather. It's like defense doesn't matter, only offense. Who did Seattle play? The Niners? The Pats would put up 40 on the Niners. The Rams played Carolina, the worst team in the playoffs by far, and barely pulled it out. Carolina was tied in a division where every single team was negative on PF/PA.

Seattle is the most complete team, clearly has been since October. But the next most complete team, offense and defense, all year, was the Patriots.

Their defense has given up 26 pts in the playoffs, and no one can run the ball on them. That's the lowest number since the 2000 Ravens. They have an elite CB. Their offense averaged 30 pts a game during the regular season. The schedule helped, but you can't deny the results and general balance of the team.

They're 4.5pt dogs to the best team in the NFL, and I think they matchup well. Key will be Maye finding his old self, which I think he will in the good weather.