2022 Playoffs

[TriCitySam]

I thought it was a great weekend of football. Sorry for Buffalo, should have done the squib, and I'd be telling my DB's to hold'em on the line - take the penalty.

[trents]

Buffalo's D wasn't up to the task. Tons and tons of missed tackles, ever before end of game fatigue set in. By the time of KC's winning drive the Buffalo defense had been burned by KC's speedy skill position players so often (especially Tyreek Hill) that they were playing way, way too soft coverage and giving up huge chunks of yardage on every play.

[I-5]

I thought it was a great weekend of football. Sorry for Buffalo, should have done the squib, and I'd be telling my DB's to hold'em on the line - take the penalty.

I had the exact same 2 thoughts, but was then told that on any kick including a squib kick, the clock doesn't start until someone on the receiving team touches it, at which point they could immediately down it, killing a second. As for the intentional fouls on defense, I read they passed a rule in 2017 that prevents that as a clock burning tactic, so they would reset the clock after marching off the penalty yardage.

[RiverDog]

I had the exact same 2 thoughts, but was then told that on any kick including a squib kick, the clock doesn't start until someone on the receiving team touches it, at which point they could immediately down it, killing a second. As for the intentional fouls on defense, I read they passed a rule in 2017 that prevents that as a clock burning tactic, so they would reset the clock after marching off the penalty yardage.

You're right, the clock doesn't start until the receiving team touches the ball, but I'm not sure if the clock stops on a kickoff fielded in bounds and intentionally downed or given up. But KC had two timeouts, so even if the clock keeps running, they could have burned one of them.

All things considered, I don't have a huge problem with Buffalo kicking it deep. It seems to me that the risk was 6 to 1 or a half dozen to another. You have to trust that your defense can keep the opposition from gaining 40-45 yards in 13 seconds.

[RiverDog]

It’s time to allow both teams to possess the ball in overtime like every other sport . Nobody stopped anyone in the second half . They might still be playing and I’d still be watching . In this offense driven league a coin flip should not determine a winner .

That could result in the game going on forever. I like the idea of sudden death, but I agree with insisting that the first possession be a TD.

One alternative would be to award the coin flip decision to the team that had the most first downs. If the teams have the same number of first downs, give it to the one with the most total yardage. It's not a completely fair criteria, but it is objective and better than a coin flip.

[NorthHawk]

The best way in a playoff game is for both teams to get a chance on offense then go sudden death if still tied.
That way there are no hard feelings or discussion.

[Aseahawkfan]

I'm ok with the way they do overtime right now. Makes the game more exciting and gives each team a chance if they can't close it out with a touchdown.

[Aseahawkfan]

Be nice to see the Bengals win. Just for the sheer craziness of it. No one could possibly imagine the Bengals as the Super Bowl champs.

We were calling this team The Bungles some years back. They had players going to jail and such. Pretty crazy turnaround.

[RiverDog]

Be nice to see the Bengals win. Just for the sheer craziness of it. No one could possibly imagine the Bengals as the Super Bowl champs.

We were calling this team The Bungles some years back. They had players going to jail and such. Pretty crazy turnaround.

Yep. Cincinnati has never had a World Championship in football and it's been since 1990 that their Reds won a World Series. They haven't had an NBA team since Richard Nixon was President. Even Cleveland has Lebron and the Cavs to hang their hats on, and Detroit's Red Wings brought home a couple of Stanley Cups earlier in this century. Cincinatti is arguably the most championship starved fan base in the league.

[Rambo2014]

Take it to the bank! or Bookie

GB 34
SF 31

Rams 32
TB 27

Cinn 35
Titans 27

KC 42
Buf 35

Not bad at all! This weekend it will be:

Rams 27
Niners 23

KC 45
Cinn17

[Hawktawk]

Be nice to see the Bengals win. Just for the sheer craziness of it. No one could possibly imagine the Bengals as the Super Bowl champs.

We were calling this team The Bungles some years back. They had players going to jail and such. Pretty crazy turnaround.

The Bengals beat the chiefs a few weeks ago . And forget Justin Herbert etc Burrows is a tick less than the 2 guys we saw Sunday night but he’s my clear #3 in the conference and not far behind . Their first 2 playoff games were uneven which is understandable when you haven’t won a postseason game in forever . I was far more impressed with their win vs the Titans than some . The Bengals defense held down one of the best backs in the league and made Tannehill look like a fool after he had played solid for months . The other side of the ball was more impressive because if anyone had said Burrows would get rocked all day , sacked a postseason record 9 times and go for 348 and a perfect dime in the final seconds to finish Tenn I’d have said no way. in Vegas the moneys on KC as it should be but don’t sleep on Cincy . Don’t sleep on Joe Cool

[mykc14]

I had the exact same 2 thoughts, but was then told that on any kick including a squib kick, the clock doesn't start until someone on the receiving team touches it, at which point they could immediately down it, killing a second.

Making them field the kick is still the right call- even if it only burned a second. If you squib it or sky it to the 10-15 yard line that would also move the offense back 10 to 15 yards. 1 second and 10-15 yards would be the difference. The other think that made me mad was the Bills defending the sidelines. With 13 second and 3 Timeouts the Chiefs didn't need to get out of bounds, they needed to get yards and get down to call a time-out. They should have jammed underneath and with a 3 high safety look- only rushing 2 or 3, but it's always easy to second guess in a situation like this. I'm sure if we were to talk to Leslie Frazier he would have great reasons for not running that defense.

[RiverDog]

Making them field the kick is still the right call- even if it only burned a second. If you squib it or sky it to the 10-15 yard line that would also move the offense back 10 to 15 yards. 1 second and 10-15 yards would be the difference. The other think that made me mad was the Bills defending the sidelines. With 13 second and 3 Timeouts the Chiefs didn't need to get out of bounds, they needed to get yards and get down to call a time-out. They should have jammed underneath and with a 3 high safety look- only rushing 2 or 3, but it's always easy to second guess in a situation like this. I'm sure if we were to talk to Leslie Frazier he would have great reasons for not running that defense.

I honestly don't know which option would have been the best. There's pros and cons to each. I suppose that if I had to choose, I'd go with the squib kick.

But one thing is for sure: We're looking at the decision with the clarity of 20/20 hindsight. We know what the result of the chosen option was, so it's easy to make the opposite choice. Had the Bills squib kicked it and Hunt or one of the other KC scat backs broke off a return of 50 or so yards, we'd be crucifying the Bills for not kicking it deep.

[Hawktawk]

Well fat boy on the couch with beer goggles on said pooch kick , you can’t leave 13 seconds with 3 timeouts needing a field goal with that guy behind center . It’s pretty much the consensus they should have made KC put the ball in play deep . Kind of like we should have handed off in 49. The alternative isn’t knowable but it could hardly have been worse . Assuming any average return it would have left one play or 2 at the most. Bad decision . Unforced error . How can fans on the couch sense what a 10 million dollar coach can’t

[RiverDog]

Well fat boy on the couch with beer goggles on said pooch kick , you can’t leave 13 seconds with 3 timeouts needing a field goal with that guy behind center . It’s pretty much the consensus they should have made KC put the ball in play deep . Kind of like we should have handed off in 49. The alternative isn’t knowable but it could hardly have been worse . Assuming any average return it would have left one play or 2 at the most. Bad decision . Unforced error . How can fans on the couch sense what a 10 million dollar coach can’t

Except that they didn't have to return it. So long as the ball doesn't touch the ground, the returner can call for a fair catch. The kicker may or may not have been able to kick it to the 10 yard line w/o kicking it into the end zone. And since it's an unorthodox way of kicking off, there's a chance that he botches it and kicks it out of bounds. Squib kick offers similar options. They could have fielded it and fell on the ground immediately, maybe running a second off the clock, and once again, it's unknown where they'll down the ball. It could have been as far up as the 35 yard line. And, there's the chance of something really screwy happening if they were in a position to return it.

However, I do agree that had it been me, I would have opted for the squib kick. I just don't think that the criticism for the chosen option is justified. As in our playoff game with the Falcons in 2013, the real problem was a defense that allowed them to get into FG range in just two plays.

[Hawktawk]

McDermott criticized himself when asked about it . Said he’s reviewed the film of the last 13 seconds many times . He never did “ we should have pooched “ however.