After Jim Schwartz cost his team a touchdown on Thanksgiving, the story was how the rule was unfair and how it needs to be changed this offseason. If you missed it, Schwartz threw his challenge flag on a scoring play (which coaches can't challenge because it's automatically looked at). Throwing the red flag in this situation costs the coach's team 15 yards, but it also removes the possibility of a referee review unless the reviewer upstairs has already asked for it. Essentially, the rule prevents a coach from throwing his flag to buy the upstairs reviewer more time to decide to have the referee review the play. Schwartz had this to say about it:
"I knew the rule -- you can't challenge on a turnover or a scoring play -- but I was so mad that I overreacted," said Schwartz, whose temper got the best of him during a postgame handshake last year with San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh. "I had the flag in my hand before he even scored because he was obviously down."Shouldn't we expect that coaches be able to control their emotions enough to not throw a challenge flag when they know there's nothing they can do about it? The system would have worked fine (there's no way that play wouldn't have been reviewed and reversed), except that Schwartz had a moment of colossal stupidity. Why do we need to protect a coach from that? It seems pretty simple to me, don't be an idiot, and there's no problem with the rule.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I mentioned this in an earlier post, but here is the Mark Sanchez moment of epic failure from Thanksgiving night.
Like I said then, be very thankful this man is not your starting quarterback (sorry, Jets fans).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One sign I can point to that I have matured...some. A loss like the Seahawks' loss to the Dolphins last weekend would have sent me into a complete emotional tailspin 8-10 years ago. I would have been been in a total funk for the rest of the day, and maybe into this week. Now, well, I'm 30, I have a wife (who loves football, but not football-induced funks), I have a son, and I can't afford to go into a days-long funk just because my team lost. What happens now is, I go into a football-watching funk. I'm much less interested in any more games that day, even if they're good ones. I just can't bring myself to enjoy games that remind me that the team I root for failed miserably earlier that day.
Hey, I didn't say I was mature, just that I had matured.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps the ultimate Norv! moment for these Chargers: The Ravens faced 4th and 29 on their own half of the field, where a failed conversion would mean the end of the game and a loss. Joe Flacco flaccos the situation, dumping the ball off to Ray Rice maybe a couple of yards ahead of the line of scrimmage, leaving Ray to pick up the remaining 27+ yards on his own.
And he did it. Somehow, the Chargers failed to stop Ray Rice despite having 27+ yards to do it. I'd say only the Chargers here, but I'm pretty sure the Eagles could pull this off too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Here are the updated NFL standings through week 12:
AFC
|
||||||||
AFC
EAST
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
New England Patriots
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
7-1
|
4-0
|
0.449
|
0.483
|
Miami Dolphins
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
3-5
|
1-2
|
0.427
|
0.467
|
New York Jets
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
3-5
|
2-3
|
0.466
|
0.595
|
Buffalo Bills
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
3-6
|
1-3
|
0.295
|
0.517
|
AFC
NORTH
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Baltimore Ravens
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
0.818
|
8-1
|
4-0
|
0.394
|
0.430
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
3-5
|
1-2
|
0.394
|
0.438
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-5
|
1-3
|
0.318
|
0.430
|
Cleveland Browns
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
0.273
|
3-5
|
2-3
|
0.485
|
0.545
|
AFC
SOUTH
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Houston Texans
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0.909
|
8-0
|
3-0
|
0.455
|
0.471
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
5-3
|
2-1
|
0.403
|
0.438
|
Tennessee Titans
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
3-5
|
0-3
|
0.432
|
0.529
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
2
|
9
|
0
|
0.182
|
2-5
|
2-3
|
0.500
|
0.595
|
AFC
WEST
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Denver Broncos
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
6-2
|
4-0
|
0.364
|
0.496
|
San Diego Chargers
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
4-4
|
3-2
|
0.205
|
0.479
|
Oakland Raiders
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
0.273
|
3-5
|
1-2
|
0.273
|
0.512
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
1
|
10
|
0
|
0.091
|
0-8
|
0-4
|
0.455
|
0.537
|
NFC
|
||||||||
NFC
EAST
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
New York Giants
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
6-2
|
2-2
|
0.487
|
0.475
|
Washington Redskins
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
5-4
|
2-1
|
0.455
|
0.508
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
4-5
|
2-2
|
0.400
|
0.554
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
0.273
|
1-7
|
1-2
|
0.576
|
0.504
|
NFC
NORTH
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Chicago Bears
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
5-2
|
2-1
|
0.403
|
0.504
|
Green Bay Packers
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
5-3
|
2-0
|
0.487
|
0.545
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-4
|
2-1
|
0.402
|
0.483
|
Detroit Lions
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
3-5
|
0-4
|
0.352
|
0.537
|
NFC
SOUTH
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0.909
|
6-1
|
2-1
|
0.382
|
0.388
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
3-5
|
2-2
|
0.303
|
0.430
|
New Orleans Saints
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
3-4
|
2-1
|
0.473
|
0.483
|
Carolina Panthers
|
3
|
8
|
0
|
0.273
|
3-7
|
1-3
|
0.394
|
0.570
|
NFC
WEST
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
8
|
2
|
1
|
0.773
|
6-2-1
|
2-0-1
|
0.477
|
0.492
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-4
|
0-3
|
0.500
|
0.488
|
St. Louis Rams
|
4
|
6
|
1
|
0.409
|
4-3-1
|
3-0-1
|
0.432
|
0.525
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
4
|
7
|
0
|
0.364
|
2-6
|
1-3
|
0.500
|
0.550
|
And here is the playoff picture through week 12:
AFC
|
||||||||
CURRENT
PLAYOFF PICTURE
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Houston Texans
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0.909
|
8-0
|
3-0
|
0.455
|
0.471
|
Baltimore Ravens
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
0.818
|
8-1
|
4-0
|
0.394
|
0.430
|
New England Patriots
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
7-1
|
4-0
|
0.449
|
0.483
|
Denver Broncos
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
6-2
|
4-0
|
0.364
|
0.496
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
5-3
|
2-1
|
0.403
|
0.438
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
3-5
|
1-2
|
0.394
|
0.438
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-5
|
1-3
|
0.318
|
0.430
|
Miami Dolphins
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
3-5
|
1-2
|
0.427
|
0.467
|
NFC
|
||||||||
CURRENT
PLAYOFF PICTURE
|
||||||||
Team
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
Pct
|
Conference
|
Division
|
SOV
|
SOS
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
0.909
|
6-1
|
2-1
|
0.382
|
0.388
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
8
|
2
|
1
|
0.773
|
6-2-1
|
2-0-1
|
0.477
|
0.492
|
Chicago Bears
|
8
|
3
|
0
|
0.727
|
5-2
|
2-1
|
0.403
|
0.504
|
New York Giants
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
6-2
|
2-2
|
0.487
|
0.475
|
Green Bay Packers
|
7
|
4
|
0
|
0.636
|
5-3
|
2-0
|
0.487
|
0.545
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-4
|
0-3
|
0.500
|
0.488
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
3-5
|
2-2
|
0.303
|
0.430
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
0.545
|
4-4
|
2-1
|
0.402
|
0.483
|
Washington Redskins
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
5-4
|
2-1
|
0.455
|
0.508
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
4-5
|
2-2
|
0.400
|
0.554
|
New Orleans Saints
|
5
|
6
|
0
|
0.455
|
3-4
|
2-1
|
0.473
|
0.483
|
Interesting notes:
- The playoff picture has no new teams compared to last week. There would be 3 new teams from last year (Indianapolis, Chicago, and Seattle)
- Since the NFL moved to the 4 divisions per conference format in 2002, there has never been more than 8 playoff teams returning from the previous season. The average number of repeat playoff teams is 6.
- The remaining schedules for all teams in the playoff picture (AFC):
- Houston (.582) -- hardest
- Baltimore (.582) -- hardest
- New England (.555)
- Denver (.400) -- easiest
- Indianapolis (.527)
- Pittsburgh (.527)
- Cincinnati (.527)
- The remaining schedules for all teams in the playoff picture (NFC):
- Atlanta (.455) -- easiest
- San Francisco (.500)
- Chicago (.491)
- New York Giants (.582)
- Green Bay (.509)
- Seattle (.527)
- Tampa Bay (.555)
- Minnesota (.664) -- hardest
- Washington (.491)
- Dallas (.455)
- New Orleans (.564)
- The division races are laughable this year. Out of 8 divisions, exactly 2 feature division leads of 2 games or less: The NFC East (2 games) and NFC North (1 game).
- On that note, the Patriots clinch the AFC East with a win this week. Denver clinches the AFC West with a win or a San Diego loss. Baltimore and Atlanta could clinch this week as well, if everything breaks right.
- On the other hand, we are set up for some good wild card races, especially in the NFC, where 7 teams are vying for 2 spots.
New Orleans at Atlanta (Thursday, 8:20 PM) - If New Orleans can go into Atlanta on a short week and pull this one off, they become very scary to all of the other wild card hopefuls. If they can't complete that tall task, they likely fall behind the 6th spot 2 games with 4 to play and 5 conference losses.
Seattle at Chicago (Sunday, 1:00 PM) - Seattle's loss to Miami makes this almost a must-win for the Seahawks' playoff hopes, which would give them the tiebreaker over both Chicago and Green Bay. The impending loss of both their starting cornerbacks also makes this game crucial. Their road history doesn't bode well.
New England at Miami (Sunday, 1:00 PM) - Yes, you read that right above, the Patriots clinch the division with a win.
Minnesota at Green Bay (Sunday, 1:00 PM) - Minnesota desperately needs a win here, as their final 4 games are CHI, @STL, @HOU, GB.
Tampa Bay at Denver (Sunday, 4:05 PM) - One of 2 games Denver has any chance of losing the rest of their season.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (Sunday, 4:25 PM) - Pittsburgh needs Roethlisberger back for this one.
New York Giants at Washington (Monday, 8:30 PM) - Score one for ESPN, as this game is miles better than NBC's Sunday Night game (Eagles-Cowboys). Either Washington's playoff hopes go away as soon as they got life, or the NFC East gets very interesting.
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