American Sports Thread

[Ball Hopper]

Panthers @ Buccs
Ravens @ Steelers
Seahawks @ 9ers

First two are win and you're in for the division title, lose and you're out. Last one for division title and the 1 seed. Pretty tasty.

Not true for the NFC South...if Tampa Bay beat Carolina and Atlanta beat New Orleans, it will be a three-way tie at 8-9 for the top spot. The first tiebreaker is a mini-league between the three teams, which would mean Carolina win the NFC South and seed 4 in the playoffs.

[gallsman]

Ha, didn't even think of that! Would be what Tampa Bay deserve. They've been awful.

[Capt Pat]

Carolina qb made a business decision like Cam Newton famously did in the super bowl for the same team. He didn't dive on the ball and left it to the stronger linebacker for the buccaneers to pick up. It looks like the buccaneers game now, 9 up and driving in the 4th quarter.

[gawa316]

Seahawks let the 9ers of the hook on their first drive.

Hoping this game like the Bears game last week

[gawa316]

One way traffic so far but Seahawks not taking full advantage

[gawa316]

Double win for the raiders today!

[gallsman]

Some finish to the season. The ghost of Billy Cundiff back to haunt the Ravens.

[thewobbler]

Playoffs have been top class so far.

Jags hit as hard as any team I've seen but Josh found a way.

Maybe with no Kansas everyone genuinely thinks they can win it this year.

[gallsman]

Packers collapse was pretty spectacular. Bears were poor and they just handed it to them on a plate in the 4th quarter.

[lurganblue]

That has to have been a catch for the Bills surely. Caught,knee down...

Nix injury rules the broncos out you would have thought

[andoireabu]

I was thinking that watching it, surely he had it in his hands when his knee hit the ground so it's a complete pass. What does he have to do to have it considered complete?

[thewobbler]

Bills are just very Spursy.

Even when they should win they find a way. Last night there were half a dozen fumbles - all rolled into Bronco hands. Every coin toss refereeing decision went against them. The OC calling plays to third string WRs when their tight ends were destroying Denver.

Think Josh will need to a Harry Kane type departure to win a Superbowl.

[David McKeown]

I was thinking that watching it, surely he had it in his hands when his knee hit the ground so it's a complete pass. What does he have to do to have it considered complete?

I thought he still had to survive the ground or complete the process of the catch whatever they call it. They change the rules so often I don't know what a catch is anymore.

[gallsman]

"Complete the process of the catch" is the correct one. They got rid of "survive the ground" years ago. Pity, as that's exactly what happened here.

Cooks lost control of the ball as he hit the ground. If the ball had touched the ground then, it would have been rolled an incomplete pass rather than a catch. McMillan instead took it away from him so the INT is correct.

And on a related note, the Bills fired McDermott this morning. That might seem harsh as so much of the result was on Allen rather than the coaching but can't help but feel he's had plenty of chances. They're moving into the new stadium next year so reasonable enough that they want to have a clean break and freshen things up. At least by NFL standards.

[andoireabu]

So is the "process of the catch" taking it in,keeping control of it and then avoiding any tackle or strip that dislodges it before a knee or elbow hits the ground?

Looked like he caught it clean enough, then hit the ground and as McMillan rolled over him, he stripped the ball out.