Is the NFL fixed?

[Novacane]

2nd and goal at the 1. 55 seconds left and NE does not call a TO to save time for Brady when %'s are Seattle is going to score? Made no sense to let 35 seconds run off the clock virtually assuring you lose if Seattle scores. Then Seattle proceeds to make the worst play call in SB history. It's hard to believe anyone would intentionally throw away a SB but the last minute of that game made no sense.

[imbondz]

Carroll would have to be in on it then cause that play call was horrific.

[The Jokeman]

2nd and goal at the 1. 55 seconds left and NE does not call a TO to save time for Brady when %'s are Seattle is going to score? Made no sense to let 35 seconds run off the clock virtually assuring you lose if Seattle scores. Then Seattle proceeds to make the worst play call in SB history. It's hard to believe anyone would intentionally throw away a SB but the last minute of that game made no sense.

As much as we like deny it I think not calling the timeout shows Belichick does have some class afterall and/or he respected that thought he was going to lose.

[Novacane]

As much as we like deny it I think not calling the timeout shows Belichick does have some class afterall and/or he respected that thought he was going to lose.




No way. If Seattle scores on the next play he has 50 seconds to get a FG. I'd of given them a better than 50% chance at that. I still feel like to many people would have to be in on it to fix a game but that entire last minute was bizarre.

[imbondz]

As much as we like deny it I think not calling the timeout shows Belichick does have some class afterall and/or he respected that thought he was going to lose.

out of all the scenarios that's the last one I'd think of. it's more possible the Patriots were going to let them run it in so they'd get the ball back

[The Jokeman]

No way. If Seattle scores on the next play he has 50 seconds to get a FG. I'd of given them a better than 50% chance at that. I still feel like to many people would have to be in on it to fix a game but that entire last minute was bizarre.

Wasn't the ball snapped with 33 seconds left? I don't know as still shocked when heard Collingsworth exclaim it was picked off as was expecting a run by Lynch and/or Wilson.

[YardRat]

Yes.

[Novacane]

Wasn't the ball snapped with 33 seconds left? I don't know as still shocked when heard Collingsworth exclaim it was picked off as was expecting a run by Lynch and/or Wilson.




Ok. So he let 22 seconds run off. There was either 20 or 25 left when the play ended. I still can't believe he didn't call a TO.

[stuckincincy]

Yes.

My hope is that the preordained contest reduced the ratings and so the $ hauled in.

[Night Train]

Little wonder I like college football better as a whole.

Outside of the Bills, I rarely watch other NFL games during the season. The NFL Ticket is a waste of $$ to me. The Bills and playoff games are basically it.

The Pats winning the SB to end the season of scandal seemed fitting...for all the wrong reasons. Now Goodell and Kraft can return to their secret off-season bungalow in Zurich.

[Don't Panic]

Not seeing this one... human error cost the Seahawks a very entertaining game. Nothing more.

[TedMock]

I think he was betting on Seattle stopping the clock after the play. If Seattle scores, clock stops. If they run the ball as we all expected them to and they are stopped, Seattle has to immediately decide whether to use their last time out at that moment or after 3rd down and it's a 4-down situation. If Seattle was stopped and did not call time, NE most likely would have at that point. If Seattle uses their TO and then scores, NE has one in their pocket with somehwere around 20 seconds. That buys them a 3rd play and possibly even a 4th on offense, assuming the average 6-8 seconds/play. They get the spike off in FG range and we're at least looking at overtime.

[Forward_Lateral]

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read in my entire life.

[Strongman]

I wouldn't go as far as to say it's fixed. However, it's geared towards certain players who happen to make the NFL a lot of $$$. Brady, Peyton, Brees etc. are treated special because they appeal to non football fans and are thus profitable. The NFL is simply protecting their investments.

[imbondz]

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read in my entire life.

ever?

[ckg927]

This is the stupidest thing I've ever read in my entire life.

Well, see if Dave Zirin's latest column boosts your IQ up a bit...

http://www.thenation.com/blog/196697/conspiracy-theory-surrounding-seahawks-last-play

[swiper]

Carroll would have to be in on it then cause that play call was horrific.

The monetary pay-off could not have been enough to be able to overcome the desire to go down in history as the head coach of a team that won back-to-back Super Bowls. I just cannot believe he didn't give Lynch the ball.

[The Jokeman]

Well, see if Dave Zirin's latest column boosts your IQ up a bit...

http://www.thenation.com/blog/196697/conspiracy-theory-surrounding-seahawks-last-play

This guy stole my thunder from http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/228029-That-was-the-worst-play-call-in-nfl-history?p=4056779&highlight=#post4056779

[ckg927]

This guy stole my thunder from http://www.billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php/228029-That-was-the-worst-play-call-in-nfl-history?p=4056779&highlight=#post4056779

What can I say? Dave's got skills. (BTW, follow him on Twitter, too.)

[The Jokeman]

What can I say? Dave's got skills. (BTW, follow him on Twitter, too.)

I'm don't have a twitter account.

[ckg927]

I'm don't have a twitter account.

Get one. :) It's easy. Failing that, Dave has columns all over the place.

[swiper]

I'm don't have a twitter account.

Good for you. It's almost a useless thing. Carl may like about 100 bloggers that share his opinion to make himself feel better. I friended MERK. And after wading through his 100s of stupid posts I have lost respect for what he did over at the Range. The ONLY thing I use it for is to get links to Bills and Sabres games that can't be posted on places like the zone.

[ckg927]

Good for you. It's almost a useless thing. Carl may like about 100 bloggers that share his opinion to make himself feel better. I friended MERK. And after wading through his 100s of stupid posts I have lost respect for what he did over at the Range. The ONLY thing I use it for is to get links to Bills and Sabres games that can't be posted on places like the zone.

Swiper: I only follow about 70 people/organizations(and the vast majority are media or sports-related; Zirin's one of the few bloggers that I follow.) And it's nice to see you think I have stupid posts-and that apparently I'M the only one who has them.

[Albany,n.y.]

2nd and goal at the 1. 55 seconds left and NE does not call a TO to save time for Brady when %'s are Seattle is going to score? Made no sense to let 35 seconds run off the clock virtually assuring you lose if Seattle scores. Then Seattle proceeds to make the worst play call in SB history. It's hard to believe anyone would intentionally throw away a SB but the last minute of that game made no sense.

This is beyond mere stupidity on your part. No coach up 4 ever plays as if the other team will score a TD. 32 of 32 coaches don't call time out. They do what NE did-stack against the run & dare them to run it.

[TedMock]

No coach up 4 ever plays as if the other team will score a TD. 32 of 32 coaches don't call time out. They do what NE did-stack against the run & dare them to run it.

Exactly. NE would obviously like more time if Seattle scored, but they weren't in need of it at that point. If Seattle runs another play and doesn't score, they would be the team needing to call a time out, not NE.

[chris66]

Well, see if Dave Zirin's latest column boosts your IQ up a bit...

http://www.thenation.com/blog/196697/conspiracy-theory-surrounding-seahawks-last-play

too many idiots on blogs these days. Why don't you ask the Seahawks players if this was fixed.

[Buckets]

Yes! Especially the bobbled catch at the 4 yard line. I think they were practicing that earlier in the week. Getting the Patriot corner back to jump over the receiver laying on the ground without kicking the ball was extremely tricky but they pulled it off perfectly.

[Bill Cody]

If we banned the drama queens on this board the herd would be thinned considerably.

[Discotrish]

The monetary pay-off could not have been enough to be able to overcome the desire to go down in history as the head coach of a team that won back-to-back Super Bowls. I just cannot believe he didn't give Lynch the ball.

I think more likely he thought he had the game in the bag, and didn't want Lynch to get the glory and/or MVP.

Patti

[ckg927]

too many idiots on blogs these days. Why don't you ask the Seahawks players if this was fixed.

Chris: Read the article AGAIN. There were players in the Seattle locker room who, apparently, WERE saying this(no one knows, however, how serious they were when they said it-keep in mind they were still pissed over losing the game so that could have played into it).

[CommissarSpartacus]

They wouldn't have even BEEN in that position without this 1 in 50 catch...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ML_RsWeORvg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[ticatfan]

And these people make how much. God bless the CFL.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

2nd and goal at the 1. 55 seconds left and NE does not call a TO to save time for Brady when %'s are Seattle is going to score? Made no sense to let 35 seconds run off the clock virtually assuring you lose if Seattle scores. Then Seattle proceeds to make the worst play call in SB history. It's hard to believe anyone would intentionally throw away a SB but the last minute of that game made no sense.

Yeah, that was bizarre but anything can happen when you have two coaches who have good relations with Bob Kraft. Really, I have suspected that the league is all about meeting or breaking spreads, and story lines for years. Its just reached WWE status and I take it as entertainment and not sport. See, I watched the Seahawks take a 10 point lead and I knew as soon as the Pats got that personal foul call on what was very incidental contact that the fix was in and it was only a matter of time before the Pats won. I turned off the game and said Pats win by 4 and turned off the TV. Well sure as **** it was Pats by 4.

[YardRat]

This is beyond mere stupidity on your part. No coach up 4 ever plays as if the other team will score a TD. 32 of 32 coaches don't call time out. They do what NE did-stack against the run & dare them to run it.

Did you mean dare them to 'pass'?

[Albany,n.y.]

Did you mean dare them to 'pass'?

No. I meant we stack against the run & now we dare you to run. Usually a dare is when you think you have the advantage & then tell the person to do something you know you the odds are stacked against. If they are overconfident they take you up on the dare & if they're right they win-if you're right you win. Seattle didn't take the dare, like the kid who chickens out, and tried to outsmart NE by passing.

[Mace]

All I can say is that it ended the most perfect way I could imagine. Pats know they should have lost. Seattle knows they should have won, both will ever have that nagging certainty in their heads. Seattle made themselves look ridiculous and had the smirks wiped off their faces. It was a fun game to watch being happy if either lost in heartbreaking fashion, and a really good game anyway.

The word of the day : sweet, sweet, Schadenfreude !

[stuckincincy]

All I can say is that it ended the most perfect way I could imagine. Pats know they should have lost. Seattle knows they should have won, both will ever have that nagging certainty in their heads. Seattle made themselves look ridiculous and had the smirks wiped off their faces. It was a fun game to watch being happy if either lost in heartbreaking fashion, and a really good game anyway.

The word of the day : sweet, sweet, Schadenfreude !

Heh. Well-said. :jig:

[chris66]

if ne calls time out with 1:06 left that gives the seahawks a chance to run 3x's without worrying about the clock. It would have been stupid on BB's part to call a time out in that situation

[stuckincincy]

if ne calls time out with 1:06 left that gives the seahawks a chance to run 3x's without worrying about the clock. It would have been stupid on BB's part to call a time out in that situation

SEA took their 2nd time-out at 1:06, after a 33 yd pass gain to the NE. The game clock was stopped. If NE was to call one as the play clock was winding down, it wouldn't be an extra play chance for SEA...it would just give them more time to consider what play to run. Game clock vs. play clock...

The SEA staff became dumb. Clock stopped at 1:06. Lynch run to the one yard line. They let the clock tick off 40 seconds !!!! Saving a time-out...for what? Line up quick, pound the ball between the tackles. If it doesn't work, call your time-out and regroup. Try a safe corner fade. Complete - touchdown. Incomplete? Line up quick and pound it again...perhaps a rollout by Wilson.

What in the world was SEA thinking? Especially after rattling off the plays to beat GB's coaching staff...almost everybody watching the NFC title game on tv and likely most in the stands figured out that GB should have used up their "precious" time outs to put the brakes on SEA and figure out their defensive tactics.

[notacon]

No.

[OpIv37]

Without reading through this whole thread:

No, the NFL is not fixed. There would need to be too many people in on it, and one dissenter would screw the whole thing up. And even if everyone is in on it, QB's miss throws, WR's drop balls, defensive players miss tackles, bad weather makes players fumble (except the Patriots with deflated balls). There are too many things that can go wrong.

I do believe the league has preferred outcomes, and I do believe that when there is a borderline call, the refs give it to the league's preferred outcome 90% of the time, but actually rigging games would be far too difficult and risky.

[Forward_Lateral]

Anyone who thinks Pete Carroll would throw the superbowl is a complete ***** moron. There's no way that guy's ego would allow him to lose on purpose, even for a billion dollars.

No chance. Please stop being morons, thanks.

[Kenny]

No... not fixed.

I didnt like the playcall, but I definitely understand it. It was 4 down territory, and you would think that the pass would either result in a TD or an incomplete pass, if the latter, then not much time wasted, and you'd have 2 plays to run it in.

I think Carroll was just being too cute.

[trapezeus]

the long pass was also kind of questionable low percentage play at the time.

it would be nice to know how vegas did. you have to follow the money to figure it out.

if you read "eight men out" a great book about the 1919 black sox WS fixing, the way the owners reacted when they had strong feelings about it was similar to how the NFL has reacted to deflate gate and the scores of other questionable things the pats have done.

[Forward_Lateral]

No... not fixed.

I didnt like the playcall, but I definitely understand it. It was 4 down territory, and you would think that the pass would either result in a TD or an incomplete pass, if the latter, then not much time wasted, and you'd have 2 plays to run it in.

I think Carroll was just being too cute.

I think he was trying to outcoach instead of trying to win.

[SaviorEdwards]

Not fixed but it is the nation's highest-budget reality show. You have to laugh...last week Brady was scum and a cheater and this weeks story is he's better than Joe Montana, kissing his mommy at the 50 yard line as a superbowl champion, and a humanitarian wanting to give his MVP truck to his rookie DB who saved the game.

I lose interest in this league more and more every year...only a few months until Spring football.

[Forward_Lateral]

Not fixed but it is the nation's highest-budget reality show. You have to laugh...last week Brady was scum and a cheater and this weeks story is he's better than Joe Montana, kissing his mommy at the 50 yard line as a superbowl champion, and a humanitarian wanting to give his MVP truck to his rookie DB who saved the game.

I lose interest in this league more and more every year...only a few months until Spring football.

I dislike the Pats and Brady as much as anyone here, but the whole deflate gate thing is ridiculous. Who cares? The balls were probably inflated to 13.5 or whatever the requirement is during the superbowl, and Brady shredded the NFL's top D. It's blown way out of proportion, IMO. I'm sure most here don't see it that way, but I do.

[OpIv37]

I dislike the Pats and Brady as much as anyone here, but the whole deflate gate thing is ridiculous. Who cares? The balls were probably inflated to 13.5 or whatever the requirement is during the superbowl, and Brady shredded the NFL's top D. It's blown way out of proportion, IMO. I'm sure most here don't see it that way, but I do.
I think the deflated balls help the Patriots prevent fumbling more than it helps Brady pass. Numbers don't lie.

And if it doesn't help, then why did they do it? They're not going to risk getting caught unless they truly feel it gives them an advantage.

[Bill Cody]

I think the deflated balls help the Patriots prevent fumbling more than it helps Brady pass. Numbers don't lie.

And if it doesn't help, then why did they do it? They're not going to risk getting caught unless they truly feel it gives them an advantage.

I'm going to wait for the report. The idea that NE has been sending some 15 year old into a bathroom every week to let exactly the right amount of air out of the balls for 8 years and nobody noticed seems off the charts far fetched to me. I don't like BB at all but he would have had to master mind this and if he did he's an academy award level actor. Something is fishy but I just don't know what. I've given my take on it but doesn't seem like anyone agrees.

[OpIv37]

I'm going to wait for the report. The idea that NE has been sending some 15 year old into a bathroom every week to let exactly the right amount of air out of the balls for 8 years and nobody noticed seems off the charts far fetched to me. I don't like BB at all but he would have had to master mind this and if he did he's an academy award level actor. Something is fishy but I just don't know what. I've given my take on it but doesn't seem like anyone agrees.

the report will be BS because the NFL will protect their brand.

It does seem a bit far-fetched, but not as far-fetched as NE's balls deflating in the weather whereas GB's didn't, especially after Baltimore warned them about it and Brady is on record as saying he likes them underinflated.

[Bill Cody]

the report will be BS because the NFL will protect their brand.

It does seem a bit far-fetched, but not as far-fetched as NE's balls deflating in the weather whereas GB's didn't, especially after Baltimore warned them about it and Brady is on record as saying he likes them underinflated.

Sorry but you have a bunch of most likely wrong assumptions there. The NFL has done the total opposite of protect their brand so far in this investigation. They made direct accusations against NE without evidence at the jump and they have continued to leak tid bits to make them look guilty but say they really don't know what happened. That's protecting the brand? Um no it isn't. They admitted they did not record NE's PSI's before the game. So obviously they did not record Indy's. So how do you know Indy's balls did not deflate? If they started at 13.5 and went to 12.5 they'd still be legal, no? There's a real shortage of facts here and just a ton of mostly in my opinion mindless speculation. A much more plausible possibility is Brady does like them on the low side and they submit the balls every week a little low and the refs either add air or they don't, probably mostly don't. The league came out a few days ago and admitted only one of the 12 balls was significantly off, 10 others were only slightly off which could be weather/temperature related, no? Could that one ball that was 1 1/2 lbs off have been a ball the ref missed? No no Andy from Foxboro High School was taken into this grand conspiracy to take a half a pound out of NE's balls every week. Be serious. Brady may like the low pressure balls but he played better in the Indy game after the half with fully inflated balls and well in the SB.

[Forward_Lateral]

the report will be BS because the NFL will protect their brand.

It does seem a bit far-fetched, but not as far-fetched as NE's balls deflating in the weather whereas GB's didn't, especially after Baltimore warned them about it and Brady is on record as saying he likes them underinflated.

I don't think they did it, to be honest.