NFL

[Macca 16,972]

No idea what your saying Macca, what was the controversy?

Was it a good game?

A Des Bryant catch or non catch on the goal line with under 5 minutes to go. In the end it wasn't paid

NFL.com will probably have it highlighted if you can access it.

A tense game and the commentators were calling it a good one. I was just hoping for a win :-)

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

Yeah I've read about it now, will try and watch footage tonight.

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

Wow, Colts...

Did not see that coming

[Go the Biff 3,428]

Wow, Colts...

Did not see that coming

Given you tipped them to win I reckon you might be selling yourself a bit short there !

[JV7 2,351]

A Des Bryant catch or non catch on the goal line with under 5 minutes to go. In the end it wasn't paid

NFL.com will probably have it highlighted if you can access it.

A tense game and the commentators were calling it a good one. I was just hoping for a win :-)

Ive seen it a couple of times.. He can make the case that he was reaching for the endzone but the right call was made I reckon, Bryant should have just completed the pass and set up 1st & goal. Dallas got the rub of the green last week Edited January 12, 2015 by JV7

[JV7 2,351]

Btw anyone think peyton might be done ?

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

Given you tipped them to win I reckon you might be selling yourself a bit short there !

Tbh they were my dark horse but I honestly thought Denver would win.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

For the last month manning has seemed a little tired/injured. He overthrew a lot of balls today and after Indy levelled it at 7-7 manning couldn't get anything going. He wouldn't really say if he would play on next year but he is owed 19m so I'd say he will continue.

Rodgers is better on one leg then most are on two. He couldn't scramble or use his roll out plays where he dominates but when they needed him he was on fire. He had a drive in the 3rd where I think he went 5-5 for nearly 80 yards and the TD. The rookie receiver Adams was pretty good for GB as well. To me the Dez decision is a catch but by their rules it isn't. I've seen plenty of those type of catches be ruled as incomplete. I think the ruling was right but the rule is wrong.

[Macca 16,972]

For the last month manning has seemed a little tired/injured. He overthrew a lot of balls today and after Indy levelled it at 7-7 manning couldn't get anything going. He wouldn't really say if he would play on next year but he is owed 19m so I'd say he will continue.

Rodgers is better on one leg then most are on two. He couldn't scramble or use his roll out plays where he dominates but when they needed him he was on fire. He had a drive in the 3rd where I think he went 5-5 for nearly 80 yards and the TD. The rookie receiver Adams was pretty good for GB as well. To me the Dez decision is a catch but by their rules it isn't. I've seen plenty of those type of catches be ruled as incomplete. I think the ruling was right but the rule is wrong.

The ground caused the ball to move but in my opinion it should be ruled a catch unless the ball spills free. As it was, it was a spectacular play and those sort of highlights need to be kept in the game.

I'm more thinking about future incidents like these. Not sure there's any grey area either - if the ball is being controlled and isn't moving before a player and the ball hits the surface then in my opinion it should be ruled a catch (unless the ball spills free)

Edit: The other thing to consider is what if by 'reaching out', Bryant had have broken the plane of the goal line? (he was probably only about a foot short) Is that then ruled a TD?

We've seen numerous examples of where a ball gets knocked free just after a player breaks the plane of the goal line (a TD is normally awarded in these instances)

Edited January 12, 2015 by Macca

[Macca 16,972]

Playoff tipping comp leaderboard

6 - JV7, Go the Biff, Macca

5 - pantaloons, Georgiou R.R. Martin

4 - Gorgoroth (a clean sweep this week)

3 more games to go and don't forget that the SB is worth 3 points.

[Go the Biff 3,428]

Pats 35 - 17

Seahawks 31 - 28

Getting in early least I forget

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

Playoff tipping comp leaderboard

6 - JV7, Go the Biff, Macca

5 - pantaloons, Georgiou R.R. Martin

4 - Gorgoroth (a clean sweep this week)

3 more games to go and don't forget that the SB is worth 3 points.

Just giving you all a head start

[pantaloons 2,019]

Seattle 23 Green Bay 21

New England 38 Indianapolis 24

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

The ground caused the ball to move but in my opinion it should be ruled a catch unless the ball spills free. As it was, it was a spectacular play and those sort of highlights need to be kept in the game.

I'm more thinking about future incidents like these. Not sure there's any grey area either - if the ball is being controlled and isn't moving before a player and the ball hits the surface then in my opinion it should be ruled a catch (unless the ball spills free)

Edit: The other thing to consider is what if by 'reaching out', Bryant had have broken the plane of the goal line? (he was probably only about a foot short) Is that then ruled a TD?

We've seen numerous examples of where a ball gets knocked free just after a player breaks the plane of the goal line (a TD is normally awarded in these instances)

Yeah I agree. If the ball stays in possession of the receiver it should be ruled a catch and if they attempt to reach out and lose possession it should be a fumble. To me that's what happened with Dez. But I would have to look at it again to determine if his knees were down before he attempted to gain yards by stretching out. I've seen games this year where a receiver has caught the ball with his hand under the ball and as his hand hits the ground he remains in control of the ball and puts it in his chest but it is ruled a incomplete pass as the ground aided in the catching of the ball. I dunno the exact rule but to me if it looks like a catch is it one. It is funny though as this Dez catch is the only ruling I can think of that doesn't aid the offense. The illegal use of hands is a penalty that does my head in sometimes. Taunting is an opinion of the official. It's not an exact ruling what is classified as taunting and what is celebrating? Even Peyton got done this year for talking a bit of smack and was flagged as taunting. Roughing the kicker is my ultimate dumb penalty. How can you attempt to smother a punt and not make any contact with the punter? If you attempt to smother the punt and miss the ball by an inch but then hit the punters shoelace it's a flag. It doesn't help that punters go down like Jesse Hogan just ran through them.

[JV7 2,351]

Seattle 27 - Packers 24

Patriots 30 - Colts 24

[Cards13 9,117]

Gah thank goodness i was at work... big free agent issues the his off season and is Pey Pey done?

[Cards13 9,117]

Ps next week changing of the guard, Luck and the Colts to beat the Pats.

Hawks over the Pack.

[DeeSpencer 25,713]

Here's a few things I don't get:

If you've caught the ball and are down by contact as Dez was, then that's the end of the play normally right?

And if you catch the ball and control it the whole time then what does it matter if it moves in your arms as you go down as long as you don't lose it.

That said I think they got it right according to the rules.

But in an offensive league that gives so many soft penalties to offensive players I'd rather see them relax the rules on a catch.

[DeeSpencer 25,713]

As for the rest of the games:

- The Ravens are a great playoffs team, but needed either one more offensive weapon or even better a healthy and good secondary. The pats, hmmm, best team in the AFC probably and definitely the best coach team. I hate them and even more I hate their bandwagon fans.

- The Panthers weren't good enough. The SeaHawks look beatable though. Their offense isn't at the level of last year and it's just impossible for their defense to be although they are still the best left in it.

- Manning- well he has such little physical tools these days that he can't afford to be slowed further by injury. If he comes back he should take a pay cut and let them buy a couple extra hands on the offensive line to make sure they are up to it in January. As for that defense, I think they were really weak. The colts O line and running game should be weaknesses in playoffs, but Luck had way too much time and space.

I didn't actually see any of GB v Cowboys, but I am impressed by the Cowboys. Rod Marinelli will continue molding their defense and finding great D line men. And on offense I think they have something sustainable as well. Maybe another year for Romo and Whitten slows them down, but if they stay at a high level then I think the offensive line, running game and receivers are sustainable.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

As for the rest of the games:

- The Ravens are a great playoffs team, but needed either one more offensive weapon or even better a healthy and good secondary. The pats, hmmm, best team in the AFC probably and definitely the best coach team. I hate them and even more I hate their bandwagon fans.

- The Panthers weren't good enough. The SeaHawks look beatable though. Their offense isn't at the level of last year and it's just impossible for their defense to be although they are still the best left in it.

- Manning- well he has such little physical tools these days that he can't afford to be slowed further by injury. If he comes back he should take a pay cut and let them buy a couple extra hands on the offensive line to make sure they are up to it in January. As for that defense, I think they were really weak. The colts O line and running game should be weaknesses in playoffs, but Luck had way too much time and space.

I didn't actually see any of GB v Cowboys, but I am impressed by the Cowboys. Rod Marinelli will continue molding their defense and finding great D line men. And on offense I think they have something sustainable as well. Maybe another year for Romo and Whitten slows them down, but if they stay at a high level then I think the offensive line, running game and receivers are sustainable.

Completely agree about Baltimore. They are a very good playoff team and flacco steps up. They just need some regular season form to maybe get home field advantage. Carolina were just plain stupid to not retain Steve smith. He made a massive difference for Baltimore this year. The NFC championship game will be interesting. The Hawks offense is good but not great as you said. If Rodgers and co can score early and not get into a tight low scoring game then it's up to Wilson to really step up. Of course the Hawks defense sets up so many scoring opportunities for Seattle. If they can't and its left to Wilson to lead on long scoring drives I'm not sure if he can get it done. But it is a big if to say if Green Bay or anyone else can put early points on the board at Seattle. I think the cowboys have found their identity as a power running team. If they stick to it they should be around the mark next year. Edited January 12, 2015 by cowboy_from_hell

[Gorgoroth 12,955]

My take on the catch.

The reason I believe it was not a catch is it is not two seperate movements, it's not a catch then big stretch of the arms for the TD, and I think the ball hits the ground when he stretches and then it bobs up and he re takes it.

I think they got this one right.

[Cards13 9,117]

As for the rest of the games:

- The Ravens are a great playoffs team, but needed either one more offensive weapon or even better a healthy and good secondary. The pats, hmmm, best team in the AFC probably and definitely the best coach team. I hate them and even more I hate their bandwagon fans.

- The Panthers weren't good enough. The SeaHawks look beatable though. Their offense isn't at the level of last year and it's just impossible for their defense to be although they are still the best left in it.

- Manning- well he has such little physical tools these days that he can't afford to be slowed further by injury. If he comes back he should take a pay cut and let them buy a couple extra hands on the offensive line to make sure they are up to it in January. As for that defense, I think they were really weak. The colts O line and running game should be weaknesses in playoffs, but Luck had way too much time and space.

I didn't actually see any of GB v Cowboys, but I am impressed by the Cowboys. Rod Marinelli will continue molding their defense and finding great D line men. And on offense I think they have something sustainable as well. Maybe another year for Romo and Whitten slows them down, but if they stay at a high level then I think the offensive line, running game and receivers are sustainable.

Besides Pey all the money went to the Broncs D last 2 years for nought. These last 2 years were the eggs in the basket. Interested to see what the great man Elway does from here.

Just think the Hawks D with Rodgers hobbled will be too much for the Pack.

[titan_uranus 25,020]

By the rules it definitely wasn't a catch, but intuitively when you watch it you don't think incompletion, you think catch. He bobbles it but keeps it with him the whole time and IMO that should be a catch. As Macca said, we should be rewarding those kinds of plays.

The missed field goal leading to a Green Bay field goal (6-point turnaround) followed by DeMarco's fumble (he holds it, he scores a TD) were just as critical though.

As for Denver, Peyton's second half of 2014 was bad enough to suggest to me that his dominance is over, and with that I think Denver's dominance is over (which is pleasing, to be honest). He's lost a lot of arm strength and accuracy and without that Denver is just an average side. I'd love to see the Colts beat New England but I don't think that's happening. Meanwhile for the NFC I don't think Green Bay stands a chance in Seattle with Rodgers on 1 leg.

[Macca 16,972]

It's becoming a long season for Peyton but I still believe he's got a fair bit to offer ... the alternative is who or what? Obviously he can't play forever but he might be able to be managed differently.

Denver are still a probable playoff team if Peyton can be healthy most of the time ... for a lot of this season he's been very good. His numbers were right up there despite the way he finished off the season. I wouldn't be ruling a line through him just yet.

The trouble is that the position of QB tends to be all or nothing ... how does Denver rest Peyton within games or rest him for complete games if indeed they even want to manage him that way? It may be possible to do so but I can't ever remember a veteran top line QB being used in this way before.

As for next week, I reckon there's more chance of the Colts upsetting the Pats than the Packers beating Seattle. If Rodgers was 100% fit then we'd have a much better chance but even though he had a terrific game today, he was nowhere near full throttle. Seattle's offense isn't great so I guess if we can remain within striking distance then we're a sneaky chance.

On the other hand it might just be the Colts time. After seeing how well the Ravens did in New England they'll believe they've got a real chance.

[Cards13 9,117]

John Fox is gone. Elway don't f around.