NFL Playoffs thread

[Roy H.]

In the era of offensive football, not a single team scored more than 20 points in regulation this weekend.

[Phantom255x]

In the era of offensive football, not a single team scored more than 20 points in regulation this weekend.

Kind of reminds me of last season, especially after that insane Chiefs-Rams game (which finished with a score of 54-51) how everyone was talking about an "offensive revolution" and how the game was becoming like college with all the different schemes, mobile QBs, etc.

Then came the SB which the Pats won 13-3, and even during that postseason quite a few games had low scores too.

[tstorey_97]

In the era of offensive football, not a single team scored more than 20 points in regulation this weekend.

Kind of reminds me of last season, especially after that insane Chiefs-Rams game (which finished with a score of 54-51) how everyone was talking about an "offensive revolution" and how the game was becoming like college with all the different schemes, mobile QBs, etc.

Then came the SB which the Pats won 13-3, and even during that postseason quite a few games had low scores too.

You guys are making a really interesting point.
It seems that the defense has "caught up" with the passing game. I also think, league rules allow the defensive back to get really tight on the receiver.

I think some of this is in response to offensive coordinators just calling for deep passes looking for flags.

Also, the amount of "flopping" by receivers has grown....evidently NFL players are watching too much soccer.

The basics are "if you reward" a player for a certain behavior? He'll get after it again and again.

[Moranis]

well the top 2 offenses in the league were on bye (Ravens, Niners).  The Chiefs also a top tier offense on bye.  By yards, Seattle had the most of the teams that played and they were 8th in the league.  The Bills and Patriots had very mediocre offenses on the whole.  In other words, the weekend was mostly mediocre offenses going against mostly good defenses.  I'd be surprised if there isn't a lot more scoring this week when 3 of the top 5 offenses take the field for the first time in the postseason. 

[PhoSita]

well the top 2 offenses in the league were on bye (Ravens, Niners).  The Chiefs also a top tier offense on bye.  By yards, Seattle had the most of the teams that played and they were 8th in the league.  The Bills and Patriots had very mediocre offenses on the whole.  In other words, the weekend was mostly mediocre offenses going against mostly good defenses.  I'd be surprised if there isn't a lot more scoring this week when 3 of the top 5 offenses take the field for the first time in the postseason.

Among the top 10 offenses in DVOA this season, only Dallas and Oakland missed the playoffs.

New Orleans, 4th, lost in the WC round. 

Still remaining in the playoffs:

Bal - 1st
KC - 3rd
Sea - 5th
Ten - 6th
SF - 7th
GB - 8th


Perhaps part of the issue is that some of these offenses were trending down.  NE was 11th in DVOA but if you just took the last 2 months of the season it would probably be closer to the bottom of the league.

[Moranis]

well the top 2 offenses in the league were on bye (Ravens, Niners).  The Chiefs also a top tier offense on bye.  By yards, Seattle had the most of the teams that played and they were 8th in the league.  The Bills and Patriots had very mediocre offenses on the whole.  In other words, the weekend was mostly mediocre offenses going against mostly good defenses.  I'd be surprised if there isn't a lot more scoring this week when 3 of the top 5 offenses take the field for the first time in the postseason.

Among the top 10 offenses in DVOA this season, only Dallas and Oakland missed the playoffs.

New Orleans, 4th, lost in the WC round. 

Still remaining in the playoffs:

Bal - 1st
KC - 3rd
Sea - 5th
Ten - 6th
SF - 7th
GB - 8th


Perhaps part of the issue is that some of these offenses were trending down.  NE was 11th in DVOA but if you just took the last 2 months of the season it would probably be closer to the bottom of the league.

That may be true.  New England was a bad offense that had its early season numbers inflated by playing a bunch of bad teams.  Once their schedule difficultly increased, New England's true colors came out.   

The Seahawks played very safe once Wentz went down (which obviously also affected Philly's offense).  If Wentz doesn't go down, I think both those teams score a lot more. 

Once Minnesota went up 10, they also went pretty conservative.  They scored on 4 of their first 8 drives and then didn't score their last 4 as they tried to kill out the clock.  They opened it back up in OT and went immediately down the field and scored.

[Roy H.]

The Ravens better wake up.

[Moranis]

The Ravens better wake up.

a little rusty. Dropped passes and penalties have been problems

[RPGenerate]

Ravens getting torched by Ryan Tannehill.

[gouki88]

Ravens getting torched by Ryan Tannehill.

Awesome!

[RPGenerate]

Two field goals is all this revolutionary offense could muster in a half? They better wake up...

[Phantom255x]

As long as it's not the Chiefs or Packers, I'm good with whoever wins it all. I'd prefer SF not win because you just know the media will ride with the "did we keep a mistake keeping Brady and not Jimmy G." the entire offseason, but I also wouldn't mind if they won. As for KC + GB, you just know the media will have a love-affair with Rodgers or Mahomes and already acting like they are the GOAT or something.

[Roy H.]

Wow. I didn’t expect this.  28-6.

[Phantom255x]

LOL this would be a MASSIVE choke by BAL. Considering most assumed they would cruise to the SB. I'll admit, even I thought they would reach the SB rather easily. But dang...

[nickagneta]

Lamar Jackson with another terrible playoff performance. He was awful last year in his first playoff game but might be having a worse game today.

Jackson with 2 INTs, 1 fumble lost on a strip sack, 3 sacks, 2 4th and 1's where he lost yardage keeping the ball both times, multiple inaccurate throws and a terrible penalty where he could have seriously hurt that guy with that horse tackle/helmet hold and fling tackle.