2022 NFL Playoffs

[Paul Heroy]

The Paranorman thread morphed into some NFL discussion so thought I'd try putting it here... David is a huge 49ers fan. I've become a big Bengals fan because of the connection to my alma mater LSU, with Joe Burrow & Ja'Marr Chase (and La'el Collins when he was healthy). Big wins yesterday for both - and I'm hoping to see them both win in the conference championship games for a Super Bowl matchup. Both are doing amazing things working with major injury situations, 49ers on QB3 and Bengals with 3 OL starters out. 

Joe Burrow had the quote of the weekend though in my book. Replying to Tracy Wolfson after the game, asking about the NFL selling tickets to a neutral site AFC CG, "better send those refunds!". 

https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1617299737085972482

[David Vaughn]

The Paranorman thread morphed into some NFL discussion so thought I'd try putting it here... David is a huge 49ers fan. I've become a big Bengals fan because of the connection to my alma mater LSU, with Joe Burrow & Ja'Marr Chase (and La'el Collins when he was healthy). Big wins yesterday for both - and I'm hoping to see them both win in the conference championship games for a Super Bowl matchup. Both are doing amazing things working with major injury situations, 49ers on QB3 and Bengals with 3 OL starters out.

Joe Burrow had the quote of the weekend though in my book. Replying to Tracy Wolfson after the game, asking about the NFL selling tickets to a neutral site AFC CG, "better send those refunds!".

https://twitter.com/CBSSports/status/1617299737085972482

Thanks for starting the thread Paul. I'm pulling for the Bengals as well and would love to see the Bengals vs 49ers in the Super Bowl for the third time. The first two meetings worked out pretty well for my team

[Paul Heroy]

David, I had to check but it's just the one time that Bengals-Niners have met in a Super Bowl, in 1981. In fact that was the ONLY Bengals appearance in the SB at all. So don't get too fired up about a 3 game win streak just yet. Gotta actually win 2 first!

[David Vaughn]

David, I had to check but it's just the one time that Bengals-Niners have met in a Super Bowl, in 1981. In fact that was the ONLY Bengals appearance in the SB at all. So don't get too fired up about a 3 game win streak just yet. Gotta actually win 2 first!

They met in 1988 as well (actually it was the 88 season, but the game was played in January 1989). It was the 49ers 3rd Super Bowl win. It was the game in which Montana went in for the final drive of the game and saw how nervous everyone looked in the huddle and so in order to ease the tension pointed to John Candy sitting in the stands and he said, "Hey look, isn't that John Candy over there?" He proceeded to drive the team down the field and hit John Taylor on a skinny post play for the winning TD.  

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/sfo/playoffs.htm

[Paul Heroy]

Good grief, ok I got that wrong, plus in the most obvious way - the Bengals were in it just last year. Not sure how I looked at something and saw a headline "Their only other appearance came in the 1981 season, also against Joe Montana and the 49ers.4 days ago" and just didn't check further. 

Well, both of our teams have very tough games this week first - as usually is the case at this point. Mahomes's right knee will get more attention than most knees this week! 

How do you think the SF QB situation plays out with Lance & Purdy? (Not to mention Garoppolo.) Good problem to have.

[David Vaughn]

Good grief, ok I got that wrong, plus in the most obvious way - the Bengals were in it just last year. Not sure how I looked at something and saw a headline "Their only other appearance came in the 1981 season, also against Joe Montana and the 49ers.4 days ago" and just didn't check further.

Well, both of our teams have very tough games this week first - as usually is the case at this point. Mahomes's right knee will get more attention than most knees this week!

How do you think the SF QB situation plays out with Lance & Purdy? (Not to mention Garoppolo.) Good problem to have.

Jimmy G. will be a free agent and sign with another team. Purdy will be the odds-on favorite to enter camp as the starter, but I'm sure it will be an open competition, but he's shown me more than enough to be "the guy" going forward. Lance will back him up for at least a year and then they'll look to trade him. 

As for Mahomes, I believe it's his ankle, not his knee that's injured. 

[Paul Heroy]

Yes, it's his right ankle. I was thinking ankle and wrote knee. Too much multitasking today!

[randman]

I'm looking forward to watching Eagles versus 49ers. Purdy and Hurts played against each other in a very close college football game: 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/01/23/brock-purdy-jalen-hurts-met-in-a-2019-college-football-classic/

[Paul Heroy]

Hurts played vs a lot of folks due to spending time in the SEC with Bama, and then the Big 12 with Oklahoma.

He played vs Burrow, but with OU not Bama, in the 2019 college semis. Doubtful that a potential rematch would go like that game, where LSU walloped the Sooners to the tune of 49-14 at half, and it wasn't that close.

With today's college football and the transfer portal being used like the busiest roundabout, we could get a lot more of these types of college rematches.

[Paul Heroy]

Almost game time for the first of today's conference championship games. This is a great pair of matchups, 4 very strong teams. Philly seems to be the most heavily favored but even that is not by much. I saw that the KC-CIN line actually flipped multiple times during the week. I believe in Joey BRRRROW, and Cincy has so much confidence now but it won't be easy to win a 2nd straight AFC CG and 4th overall game vs KC @ Arrowhead today. 

[Paul Heroy]

I think I saw Nigel Tufnel out there in the NFC CG. The SF QB position looks like the Spinal Tap drummer spot. Condolences, David.

[David Vaughn]

I think I saw Nigel Tufnel out there in the NFC CG. The SF QB position looks like the Spinal Tap drummer spot. Condolences, David.

Thanks Paul...game was over as soon as Purdy went out injured. Johnson is NOT an NFL-caliber QB and it showed. The fumble right before the half ruined any chance of us staying competitive. Furthermore, Shanahan not throwing the challenge flag on Philly's first drive is unconscionable. Even if it's borderline, you don't let them quick snap the ball at that juncture of the game. 

I'm happy they made it as far as they did considering they were on their third string QB for half of the year, but at least Purdy proved that he belongs and his future looks pretty bright. The good news for next year is 10 of their 11 starters on offense are all under contract as well as their main backups. so on the offensive side of the ball we should only be better.

We have a lot of free agents on defense, but we also have good depth in the backup roles, so we should be in good shape. We don't have any high draft picks, but do have 11 picks from the 3rd through the 7th round, so more talent should be on the way. 

While winning a championship every year is the ultimate goal, you can't say getting to the NFC championship for the third time in four years is not a success. It will be a long six months of an offseason to heal this wound, but I like our immediate future. 

PS: The officiating in the NFL is absolutely horrendous. On the 15 yard roughing the kicker penalty, Mason was pushed into the kicker and the flag should have been picked up. 

[Paul Heroy]

PS: The officiating in the NFL is absolutely horrendous. On the 15 yard roughing the kicker penalty, Mason was pushed into the kicker and the flag should have been picked up.

OMFG... the Bengals got unbelievably screwed with the officials giving KC a do-over on 3rd down then calling a defensive holding for an automatic 1st down. Just beyond bad.

[Paul Heroy]

Ok, first off... Mahomes gutted it out on a bad ankle and played a brilliant game. Credit to him. And Cincy made a really dumb play at the end hitting him out of bounds for a PF to make the FG makeable, where KC would have needed another play and a good chance the game goes to OT instead. 

But man... a really ticky tack DPI call on Apple. Then Chris Jones comes down with his full weight on Burrow which all season has been roughing the passer, but nada. Just seemed like a really obvious tilt in the officiating today, which matter in the close 2nd game. 

[tripplej]

Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs vs. Eagles
When: Sunday, Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Hope it is a good game!