Game Thread: AFC Divisional round part 2: Pittsburgh vs Kansas City

[Fountain City Blues]

If it was iffy on whether or not it was holding I would agree with a no call but when Fisher is literally dragging him to the ground by the neck there is no way any ref can overlook that.

The only problem I really have with it is what didn't get called- but the inconsistency of the refs is moreorless constant. Just a pisser it was that play that was flagged.

 

[wlk3]

If it was iffy on whether or not it was holding I would agree with a no call but when Fisher is literally dragging him to the ground by the neck there is no way any ref can overlook that.

I played RT through college, I gotta say it wasn't what it looked like... when an edge rusher is trying to turn the corner, if you can get your hand on his hip and push which is what I saw him doing... the legs usually go from underneath the rusher and he falls... imo the ref so him fall and his other hand was up around his neck and figured it was a take down... sorta like when an NBA ref blows the whistle anticipating contact but there was no foul... that should have been a no call imo... but I also agree with Clayton and said it at the time it happened... why they had their best pass rusher in coverage was the worst play of the game I thought...

 

[Bmurph]

I played RT through college, I gotta say it wasn't what it looked like... when an edge rusher is trying to turn the corner, if you can get your hand on his hip and push which is what I saw him doing... the legs usually go from underneath the rusher and he falls... imo the ref so him fall and his other hand was up around his neck and figured it was a take down... sorta like when an NBA ref blows the whistle anticipating contact but there was no foul... that should have been a no call imo... but I also agree with Clayton and said it at the time it happened... why they had their best pass rusher in coverage was the worst play of the game I thought...

That probably gets called a hold in every game in the NFL, even w the shittiest officiating the NFL has ever had, aside from the sub year?

 

[Clayton]

Been saying that for two + years. What really gets under the craw is the throws that are accurate and then are just blatant fuckups such as the Kelce drop deep in the redzone. Holding on a 2pt conversion. False starts galore. Just way too much BS for a mediocre QB to overcome. Reid did a good job of playcalling imo, players failed.

It's the frustrating part is that defense wins championships is the old cliche and this teams offense held the team back all year.

Steelers have a talented squad but they beat the Chiefs the same way the Titans did. End of the year means no excuses. There is a pattern and you can't have clutch plays bail you out everytime.

Long term they need a new QB. Short term they just need better interior OL and maybe another RB.

 

[Clayton]

My guess is the favs for the superbowl are the Packers and Pats?

It should be Pats and Falcons

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Rewatching this... just fuck. A rip and slip, and Harrison slips to get the call. Still think it was a hold, technically, but this is much, MUCH weaker than I thought it was in real time.

 

[wlk3]

Rewatching this... just fuck. A rip and slip, and Harrison slips to get the call. Still think it was a hold, technically, but this is much, MUCH weaker than I thought it was in real time.

I don't think it's a hold... imo the ref threw the flag because he saw the hand high and Harrison fall, but didn't see the hand to the hip which is what made Harrison fall...

 

[Clayton]

Rewatching this... just fuck. A rip and slip, and Harrison slips to get the call. Still think it was a hold, technically, but this is much, MUCH weaker than I thought it was in real time.

I obviously agree but at the same time, I still think the Steelers had a good chance of driving down the field and kicking a FG. But at least make the players play the game. Now we are going to have an LT with nightmares for the next 3 months about how he cost the team on the big play.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

That probably gets called a hold in every game in the NFL, even w the shittiest officiating the NFL has ever had, aside from the sub year?

I appreciate the insight from the poster that played OT, but that was a clear cut hold...what sucked obviously was the timing of it for KC...but both teams had bad penalties...KC's DEF played great when it counted the most, inside the 30, but with 2 weeks to prepare, you gotta play better on OFC at home.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I don't think it's a hold... imo the ref threw the flag because he saw the hand high and Harrison fall, but didn't see the hand to the hip which is what made Harrison fall...

You cannot wrap your arm under a guy's neck and impede his progress to the QB and take him to the ground...it's not a hold?...what it is then?

 

[Fountain City Blues]

You cannot wrap your arm under a guy's neck and impede his progress to the QB and take him to the ground...it's not a hold?...what it is then?

(i) if, during a defensive charge, a defensive player uses a “rip” technique that puts an offensive player in a position that would normally be holding. Exception: Holding will be called if the defender’s feet are taken away from him by the offensive player’s action.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I obviously agree but at the same time, I still think the Steelers had a good chance of driving down the field and kicking a FG. But at least make the players play the game. Now we are going to have an LT with nightmares for the next 3 months about how he cost the team on the big play.

Yeah, have nobody to blame but themselves for losing a game the other team scores 0 TD's at home. Can't happen. Not in a playoff game- not ever.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

(i) if, during a defensive charge, a defensive player uses a “rip” technique that puts an offensive player in a position that would normally be holding. Exception: Holding will be called if the defender’s feet are taken away from him by the offensive player’s action.

He took him to the ground.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

He took him to the ground.

Looked like a slip to me caused the initial fall. I guess that's where we differ on this one.

 

[wlk3]

You cannot wrap your arm under a guy's neck and impede his progress to the QB and take him to the ground...it's not a hold?...what it is then?

I agree the hand placement was the problem, and had he not pushed the hip Harrison probably doesn't fall and he probably ends up holding Harrison... Fisher was on the verge of getting beat... however once he pushed the hip of Harrison you can see that's when his feet start to come out of the ground... I have no dog in this fight, my only thought when I saw it was that was a bad call... it's one of those bang bang calls and that his high hand was in the area of holding the ref can stand on that... I don't be blame that call for KC losing though...

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Looked like a slip to me caused the initial fall. I guess that's where we differ on this one.

He could very well have slipped, but given the position of Fisher's arm...from the ref's vantage point in a bang bang play at full speed, hard to keep the flag in your pocket. It looked like a takedown.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

He could very well have slipped, but given the position of Fisher's arm...from the ref's vantage point in a bang bang play at full speed, hard to keep the flag in your pocket. It looked like a takedown.

Yeah, as I mentioned it was something that occurred to me until I rewatched multiple times. Can't get too hot about the call itself. Little weird given that point in the game, but real time that's a tough one to distinguish. Hand placement really did him in. Feel a bit bad for him after seeing this.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yeah, as I mentioned it was something that occurred to me until I rewatched multiple times. Can't get too hot about the call itself. Little weird given that point in the game, but real time that's a tough one to distinguish. Hand placement really did him in. Feel a bit bad for him after seeing this.

Tough that it happened when it did.

I can understand feeling for the guy because he didn't just reach out and grab him. Harrison had a step on him turning the corner and tried to rip...Fisher caught him up high with his arm and he went down the laundry came out.

My brother in law is a huge KC fan and we were texting back and forth last night. He thought it was a hold too, but his bigger problem was the lousy OFC performance after their 1st drive and not being able to stop Bell on the ground.

 

[Clayton]

My brother in law is a huge KC fan and we were texting back and forth last night. He thought it was a hold too, but his bigger problem was the lousy OFC performance after their 1st drive and not being able to stop Bell on the ground.

Honestly Im not sure KC could ever stop Bell from the ground the way they are built at this point. I thought the Chiefs had a pretty smart strategy with that. The problem is that the Chiefs were trying too hard to come up with creative plays on offense and defense. At some point, you have to line up and do your job. Chiefs just simply dont have a top 4 roster to be at this stage and the Steelers were a better 'balanced' team this year as long as they took care of the football. I do think that the Steelers went super, super conservative and KC really should have been able to take advantage of their red zone failures but they cant just line up and run the ball dominantly or line up and have a pass play that can beat the blitz.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Honestly Im not sure KC could ever stop Bell from the ground the way they are built at this point. I thought the Chiefs had a pretty smart strategy with that. The problem is that the Chiefs were trying too hard to come up with creative plays on offense and defense. At some point, you have to line up and do your job. Chiefs just simply dont have a top 4 roster to be at this stage and the Steelers were a better 'balanced' team this year as long as they took care of the football. I do think that the Steelers went super, super conservative and KC really should have been able to take advantage of their red zone failures but they cant just line up and run the ball dominantly or line up and have a pass play that can beat the blitz.

Good post, KC has always been known for stellar ST play, and a ballhawking DEF, but to just line up and go toe to toe has not been their MO.

Run defense has been an issue all season and even more so after losing Johnson...baffling with a 3 down stud like Poe in the middle, and a stud to be in Chris Jones, but you need run stoppers behind them.

IMO Schwartz was the weak link on the Browns otherwise pretty solid OL...not good, not terrible, but probably will never make a pro bowl...pairing him with Fisher, maybe they don't have the best OL they could have.