2017 NFL Playoffs

[7DnBrnc53]

According to the Super Fraud Guy (and our friend, Brian Tuohy), the league may have fixed one for the people:

https://superfraud.blogspot.com/2018/02 ... -with.html

[Rupert Patrick]

I think it might be something that comes out years down the line but I can't wait to find out what was going on with the Malcolm Butler situation.

As emotional as he was during the pre-game anthems, one wonders if he was notified right before the team went out on the field that he would be on the bench except for special teams plays. I remember they showed him covering his face while they were playing "America the Beautiful" I believe and I don't know if it was the emotions of being there or what but he was in tears. I don't think we'll have to wait years to find out, we'll probably have to wait days. There are still too many reporters digging around and one of them will get to the bottom of it. My guess is he broke a team rule, might have been late for a team meeting or something. The Pats could have used him out there Sunday.

[Rupert Patrick]

I'm reading Peter King's column, and the pass play to Foles was actually the same play the Bears ran against the Vikings in 2016. The Eagles QC coach keeps a video file of trick plays and pulled this one out to use in the Super Bowl:

https://go.skimresources.com/?id=58287X ... =300&abp=1

[Reaser]

As emotional as he was during the pre-game anthems, one wonders if he was notified right before the team went out on the field that he would be on the bench except for special teams plays. I remember they showed him covering his face while they were playing "America the Beautiful" I believe and I don't know if it was the emotions of being there or what but he was in tears. I don't think we'll have to wait years to find out, we'll probably have to wait days. There are still too many reporters digging around and one of them will get to the bottom of it. My guess is he broke a team rule, might have been late for a team meeting or something. The Pats could have used him out there Sunday.

Last night Rowe said he was told before kickoff that he'd be starting and Butler wouldn't be.

Belichick said last night that it wasn't disciplinary, though I doubt he'd tell the media anyway. Patricia answered similarly. The way Butler responded also makes it seem like he doesn't know what he did to make it where he wasn't playing.

Late for a team meeting or something along those lines would make sense but I think that would have been immediately said/known after the game last night.

During the game I kept thinking with Butler being a FA and everything pointing to him not returning to NE next year that maybe Belichick was trying to make a point to say they could win without him. Still my best guess this morning. Unless it is something as simple as Butler breaking a team rule but nothing said from the NE coaches or Butler himself or any players points to that.

[JohnR]

I agree that the Clement TD was questionable at best but how could they possibly have overturned Ertz's TD? He caught the ball at the five and ran it in. He was clearly a ball carrier so it doesn't matter if the ball touched the ground after he reached it over the goal line (I hate it when players do that). Even with all of the grey area surrounding TD receptions that one was a no-doubter that shouldn't have gone to an extended review. It annoyed me that Michaels and Collinsworth didn't take a stand on the call.

I was listening to Collinsworth with disbelief. Ertz so clearly running after a catch. I think I might have done something violent if that call had been overturned. I could have swallowed the Clement catch being overturned. Lawd, super-slo-mo replay is a double edged sword. It reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode where the coin landed on it's side & the guy started hearing people's thoughts. Too much information!! What an historical night. Loved the outcome.

[L.C. Greenwood]

Best SB yet. Great game from start to finish. Happy for the Eagles.

I think it was in the top 3-4 Super Bowls definitely. It reminded me of the Panthers-Patriots Super Bowl, but it was the entire game instead of just the end of the first half and the fourth quarter, the entire game was an all-out shootout. We've never really had an all-out shootout in the Super Bowl before. Cleanly played, few penalties, and no controversies except for that touchdown by the Eagles that looked very iffy, but I look at it as Karma as the Patriots have had a lot of iffy calls go their way and for once one went against them. It set the NFL record for most yards in a game (1,151), regular season or postseason, breaking the mark of 1,133 set in 1950 by the Rams and NY Yanks, which the Rams won 45-35. Brady threw for 505 yards, and I think he would have broken Van Brocklin's single game mark of 554 had he not coughed up the ball at the end. The 74 combined points missed by one from being the most points scored by both teams in a Super Bowl; Super Bowl XXIX between San Diego and San Francisco still holds the record with 75. This would be a great night to be in downtown Philly; I was in downtown Detroit when the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 42 years in 1997 (I actually got to kiss the Stanley Cup) and it was a great celebration.

High scoring Super Bowls will be the norm, thanks to he changing nature of the game. Brady carried the Patriots as usual, but his accuracy was off, just 58.3% in this game. Despite all those passing yards in the first half, New England could only muster 12 points, and that was a huge factor in the game. I was very concerned the Pats would jump on Philadelphia early, with the game being essentially over in the first quarter. Nick Foles really surprised me, and not having to play from behind until very late was crucial.

[74_75_78_79_]

What a dramatic game! Would have liked to have seen more defense though. The game was almost like Buf/SF ’91; one punt as opposed to no punts. I expected a high scoring game, but also expected some big defense moments from both teams as well as defensive TDs or at least turnovers deep in territory leading to scores. When the Eagles only scored a FG to make it 32-26 late, I felt that just may be it for them. And then NE scores and gets their first lead of the game, yeah, it seemed even more the case. However, the Birds went on to score yet again - and again! Yes, Pats sure could have used Malcolm but the way Foles and that O played, its no sure thing at all that Pats pull it off anyway.

IMO I think Gronk played his last game. B&B will be onboard for ’18. What are Eagles going to do with Foles? Keep him along with Wentz or trade Foles (maybe to Denver?) for draft picks? What team will pick up Butler next year (Steelers? I hope)? We shall see.

EDIT - Buf/SF ’92

[Citizen]

Apparently Brady didn't congratulate Foles after the game. IIRC, he showed similar petulance after the two losses to the Giants.

Great QB, but what a no-class punk.

[Ronfitch]

IMO I think Gronk played his last game. B&B will be onboard for ’18. What are Eagles going to do with Foles? Keep him along with Wentz or trade Foles (maybe to Denver?) for draft picks? What team will pick up Butler next year (Steelers? I hope)? We shall see.

EDIT - Buf/SF ’92

The Onion: "Doug Pederson Informs Nick Foles He's Been Traded To Browns While Handing Him Lombardi Trophy"
https://sports.theonion.com/doug-peders ... 1822713684

[ChrisBabcock]

Keep him along with Wentz or trade Foles (maybe to Denver?) for draft picks?

I bet they get an offer for Foles that they may not be able to refuse.