(ot-american football) PATS WIN!

[Old Fezziwig]

The rule needs to be changed... but by the rules it was a good call... Too bad for the Raiders

The rule will be changed, I'm sure. Was it two years ago that they changed the rule about forward momentum/fumbles/sliding into the endzone because of that play in Seattle (I can't remember who the 'Hawks were playing)? I'm sure this will be changed, too.

Best,
tKL

 

[Warchild]

Well, on the all the sports shows they said it was fumble because he brought it back down to both hands, but it hardly matters. What steamed me more is that they put the 3 points on the Patriots scoreboard before the Pats even were 2 plays away from kicking the winning field goal!! Thats bush-league!!!

But it hardly matters now. Game over man!!!

I wanted SO bad for the Raiders and Ravens to win so they'd have to go to Oakland and we could get our revenge! damn it.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

The bears didn't show up, which hurts me too, because of my chicago ties. but regardless of both games, i think we'll see the superbowl participants be the winners of todays games.

I think you're right. GB could beat St. Louis (Favre's a maniac, and probably the guy who can pull it off and I'd like to see it, mainly because I think that any team that onside kicks with a 2 TD+ lead in the third quarter deserves to go home early), and in that case, I think they'd have the edge on Philly. More likely, St. Louis cruises to its second Super Bowl win in three years. I'm not sure that NE can beat Pitt or Baltimore, although I'd like to see Pitt clobber the Ravens (I'm not a Billick fan), so I guess, in a perfect world, I'd see a NE-GB rematch, but more likely, I'm going to go with Pittsburgh (they have beaten Baltimore twice, I think) facing off with St. Louis.

Best,
tKL (the guessing Lion)

 

[Quickbeam]

Before I begin, let me say that I'm happy the Pats won, even if they have a former University of Michigan Weasel as their QB...

It was a fumble. Period.
However, the rule is written in such a way, that I can understand the refs decision to rule the play an incomplete pass because Brady's arm WAS moving forward. Additionally, the refs cannot be asked to construe what a QB's intention is when moving his arm; pass, pump fake, pull it down and run, etc. The telling factor here, is that Brady did in fact bring the ball down far enough to place both hands on the ball -- even if only for a moment. I've played football for years, and even QB'ed a game for our team this season, and there is no way he was moving in any manner that resembled a throwing motion. He was pulling that ball down to scramble and buy some time.
The rule will be changed to add language which refers to the position of the passer's arm, his other hand, etc. Until then, go Pats and enjoy the flight home Raiders .

 

[AmerginLiath]

I'll agree that the last few minutes of the Raiders/Patriots game was pretty damn exciting, but, as an Eagles fan who watched the birds lose in the division game last year, watching the back and forth there was pretty crazy too up to the point where Philly clinched it...

I loved watching the game played in the snow though -- now THAT'S football...

 

[drothgery]

Donovan McNabb is fast becoming my new favorite quarterback.

Heh.
I've liked McNabb since he was at Syracuse (of course, I went to high school in the Syracuse area, and my alma mater didn't play division I sports...) But since I became a Pack fan while I briefly lived in Wisconsin (just before Favre showed up), Donovan will have to do a lot before he supplants my old favorite quartback.

 

[Christian]

Ayup-a great game, no matter which team (if any) you were cheering for.

One note, tKL:

... but more likely, I'm going to go with Pittsburgh (they have beaten Baltimore twice, I think) ...

The Steelers beat Baltimore 26-21 at PSINet Stadium on Dec. 16th, avenging their 13-10 loss to the Ravens on Nov. 4th at Heinz field. The Steelers party line is that they've actually won twice, as they controlled the first game but just kept missing field goals. (Four or five, IIRC. ) IMHO, I don't think that's a reasonable line to take, especially since they haven't sacked their kicker.

Should be another good game this evening.

 

[Storminator]

As a Raiders fan in New England, I was quite disappointed in the outcome.

On the fumble, the great John Madden once said "if the game is close enough that you lose on a bad call, you didn't deserve to win anyway."

Harsh but true.

What drives me crazy is Gruden's conservatism. Anyone that watched the Raiders knows that the offense is the strength of the team. So why did they punt the ball away on 4th and less than 1 with 2:19 left in the game? Rely on thse big men, punch the ball forward a foot and run out the clock! If you don't make it and NE takes the short field for the field goal, you get the ball back with over a minute and score again to win.

Of course, they didn't ask me.

PS

 

[Wormwood]

The only way this ruling could be more controversial is if it involved Palm Beach County.

On a brighter note, I'd like to buy a beer to the guy who biffed Gumbel with that snowball. Well done, sir!

 

[Eye Tyrant]

On a brighter note, I'd like to buy a beer to the guy who biffed Gumbel with that snowball. Well done, sir!

That was funny... did you hear him, "Hey what're you...!" then he got himself and tried to make it funny...