TMQ on BB timeout

[SVN]

o Ho Ho: New England led 49-20 with 2:33 remaining at Oakland when the Raiders were awarded a first down on a close call. Bill Belichick challenged the ruling. That's right, ahead 29 points just before the two-minute warning, Belichick challenged a call. Trying to stop the opponent from scoring a meaningless last-second consolation touchdown is the flip side of running up the score, and it seems the old Belichick is reasserting himself.

The low point of the 2007 NFL season was the New England-Washington game, when the Patriots led 38-0 in the fourth quarter and Belichick kept his starters on the field and Tom Brady was throwing deep, frantically trying to humiliate the mannerly, dignified Joe Gibbs. The game ended 52-7, with many New England starters still on the field at the whistle, and Belichick still frantically trying to humiliate the dignified Gibbs. Was Belichick engaged in some psychological cry for help -- or was the New England coach acting out an idea planted in his head by his father Steve? Over the winter, I stumbled across this Belichick statement during a 2004 interview on Boston sports radio station WEEI:

"I remember when I was a kid and my father was coaching at Navy. He was a defensive coach -- coached the secondary, coached the linebackers at different points during his career there. I remember one game where I said that to him after the game -- you know, where I really thought the other team kind of ran it up on you. And he said, as a defensive coach would say, 'You know what, it's our job to keep the score down, not theirs. We're on defense. That's what our job is, to keep them from scoring.' Having been a defensive coordinator, those words have rung in my head many times. When they're moving the ball, when they're scoring points, it's your job to stop them. Not their job to ... [Host interjects: 'Stop themselves.'] Right, pull back."

ESPN Page 2 - Easterbrook: Best team is far from decided

how hard it is for this guy to see that if bb won the challenge we wouldve saved 20 mins of further futiliy and injury worry by kneeling on the ball ? Even bb said that today in the press conf.

 

[Sicilian]

ESPN Page 2 - Easterbrook: Best team is far from decided

how hard it is for this guy to see that if bb won the challenge we wouldve saved 20 mins of further futiliy and injury worry by kneeling on the ball ? Even bb said that today in the press conf.

You're asking why Easterbrook isn't writing based on logic? Really? I mean... REALLY you're asking that???

 

[ctpatsfan77]

ESPN Page 2 - Easterbrook: Best team is far from decided

how hard it is for this guy to see that if bb won the challenge we wouldve saved 20 mins of further futiliy and injury worry by kneeling on the ball ? Even bb said that today in the press conf.

I can only think of so many explanations for Gregg Eastersuck's continued animosity towards BB. None of them are suitable for discussion here. But I think I can say this fairly: it is hard to fathom how much Eastersuck has been paid to be so wrong on so many different topics.

 

[signbabybrady]

They are all haters and don't get it. BB doesn't care what they think he has in his head the way the game should be played and doesn't change for anyone.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

'You know what, it's our job to keep the score down, not theirs. We're on defense. That's what our job is, to keep them from scoring.' Having been a defensive coordinator, those words have rung in my head many times. When they're moving the ball, when they're scoring points, it's your job to stop them. Not their job to ... [Host interjects: 'Stop themselves.'] Right, pull back."

damn right! you don't want the score run up, play defense.

 

[Rob0729]

Why would anyone read Gregg Easterbrook's column? I don't care what he has to write. He is a failed political talking head who is a pervert and a racist. Him trashing Belichick brings no emotion from me whatsoever. He is the same guy who went from "if all Matt Walsh has is more proof of videotaping defensive signals, it isn't that big of a deal" when he thought Walsh had a videotape of the walkthrough to demanding Belichick be suspended from the league forever because all Matt Walsh had was more evidence of videotaping defensive signals. That is all we need to say about Easterbrook's credibility on the subject.

Do what I do with all Page 2 writers (well, most people do) and ignore the idiot.

 

[Mark Morse]

That timeout was as much a message to that senile old coot Al Davis for the disparaging remarks he made about Belichick cheating and having inside information about Randy Moss before the trade.

Hey Oakland ... whats the common denominator with your pathetic 6 losing seasons in a row ... its Al Davis ... Get rid of the Cryptkeeper and let football people run the organization and you will get better.

 

[jmt57]

I refuse to read Easterbrook, but my guess is that he had nothing to say in countless other examples, such as Oklahoma using a no-huddle hurry-up offense in the 4th quarter of the Big 12 championship game two weeks ago, in a game played by "amateurs" with that team already up by five touchdowns.

There are a countless number of other examples, but my guess is that it's killing Easterbrook that he hasn't had many chance to villify his favorite target this season.

 

[patsox23]

"trying to humiliate the mannerly, dignified Joe Gibbs."

This is not Pop Warner. And Joe Gibbs should've told his team to F-ing play with some passion. If anyone "humiliated" the old, past-his-prime, mannerly-like-a-lady Senorita Gibbs, it was his PLAYERS. This is big-boy football, for Christ's sake!

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

The thing that is so absurd about this is that the Raiders were not giving up in this game. They kept driving to try to score. Heck, they even tried a two-point conversion and then an onside kick.

It's ridiculous for people to suggest that there is some magical point in the game where one coach needs to give up trying to win even though the other one doesn't.

If Oakland had kneeled down on the ball and then ended up turning it over on downs with a few seconds left, and then the patriots tried to run some offensive play to score or pad stats other than a kneel down, I could see being annoyed. But absent that circumstance, if one team is going to play to the whistle, you do the same.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

I can only think of so many explanations for Gregg Eastersuck's continued animosity towards BB. None of them are suitable for discussion here. But I think I can say this fairly: it is hard to fathom how much Eastersuck has been paid to be so wrong on so many different topics.

maybe he thinks belichick is jewish.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

maybe he thinks belichick is jewish.

You beat me to it...I was scrolling to the end hoping nobody had written that yet but great minds think alike.......

 

[PAPatsjunkie]

I wonder if he wrote the same thing in his column after Thanksgiving weekend, when Jeff Fisher did the same thing to the Lions in the final minutes while blowing them out. Oh, he didn't? I wonder why.

 

[fgssand]

I don't read the jerk either....I would like to explain football to him though, in addition to some of the many fine observations about the game pointed out above.....

What about TIEBREAKERS - esteracist??

They have this unique way to determine who goes to the playoffs - perhaps he never heard of them??

NFL Tiebreaking Procedures

The six postseason participants from each conference are seeded as follows:

1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The division champion with the fourth-best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the best record.
6. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

The following procedures will be used to break standings ties for postseason playoffs and to determine regular-season schedules.
NOTE: Tie games count as one-half win and one-half loss for both clubs.
TO BREAK A TIE WITHIN A DIVISION

If, at the end of the regular season, two or more clubs in the same division finish with identical won-lost-tied percentages, the following steps will be taken until a champion is determined.
Two Clubs

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

Three or More Clubs

(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated during any step, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of the two-club format).

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

TO BREAK A TIE FOR THE WILD-CARD TEAM

If it is necessary to break ties to determine the two Wild-Card clubs from each conference, the following steps will be taken.

1. If the tied clubs are from the same division, apply division tie breaker.
2. If the tied clubs are from different divisions, apply the following steps.

Two Clubs

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory.
5. Strength of schedule.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

Three or More Clubs

(Note: If two clubs remain tied after third or other clubs are eliminated, tie breaker reverts to step 1 of applicable two-club format.)

1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory.
6. Strength of schedule.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

When the first Wild-Card team has been identified, the procedure is repeated to name the second Wild-Card, i.e., eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. In situations where three or more teams from the same division are involved in the procedure, the original seeding of the teams remains the same for subsequent applications of the tie breaker if the top-ranked team in that division qualifies for a Wild-Card berth.
DETERMINING HOME-FIELD PRIORITY

1. To determine home-field priority among division titlists, apply Wild-Card tie breakers.
2. To determine home-field priority for Wild-Card qualifiers, apply division tie breakers (if teams are from the same division) or Wild-Card tie breakers (if teams are from different divisions).

TIE-BREAKING PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION MEETING

If two or more clubs are tied in the selection order, the strength-of-schedule tie breaker is applied, subject to the following exceptions for playoff clubs:

1. The Super Bowl winner is last and the Super Bowl loser next-to-last.
2. Any non-Super Bowl playoff club involved in a tie moves down in drafting priority within its tied segment as follows:
   • For a loss inthe Wild-Card playoffs, a plus factor of one-half.
   • For participation, win or lose, in the Divisional Playoffs, a plus factor of one.
   • For a loss in the conference championship Game, a plus factor of one.
3. Clubs with the best won-lost-tied records after these steps are applied will drop to their appropriate spots at the bottom of the tied segment. In no case will the above process move a club lower than the segmentin which it was initially tied.
4. Tied clubs will alternate priority throughout the 7 rounds of the draft. In case of a tie involving three or more teams, the club with priority in the first round will drop to the bottom of the tied segment in the second round and move its way back to the top of the segment in each succeeding round.

If any ties cannot be broken by strength of schedule, the divisional or conference tie breakers, whichever are applicable, are applied. Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip.

• Scoreboard
• Standings
• Stats

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[Fanfrom1960]

ESPN Page 2 - Easterbrook: Best team is far from decided

how hard it is for this guy to see that if bb won the challenge we wouldve saved 20 mins of further futiliy and injury worry by kneeling on the ball ? Even bb said that today in the press conf.

All of the great coaches in the history of the NFL have had their haters:

Paul Brown
Vince Lombardi
Tom Landry
Bill Walsh might actually be the exception
Don Shula
Chuck Noll

Goes with the territory

 

[Patriot_dynasty]

Whoever said Page 2 is a joke is spot on. Easterbrook is intelligent...but not football smart. I love when he uses his onfield coaching decisions as an example to somehow convince the world he knows what he is talking about...even though he coaches children. Complete clown. You know, personally, I coached a youth football team & baseball team to an undefeated season...MOVE OVER BILL & FRANCONA, I'M COMING FOR YOUR JOBS!!! Also, I won back-to-back slow pitch softball championships...Who needs Mike Lowell or Yuke, obviously I know what I am doing at the corners. Now that is Easterbrook thinking right there.

Also, Bill Simmons is wearing a little thin as well. That is why Easterbook has stepped-up his hate for New England sports...because he off-sets Homer Simmons.

 

[JoeSixPat]

That's nice that Easterbrook thinks our coaching staff doesn't need to do a better job on its review of plays and determining when and when not to challenge a ruling.

Frankly, I think Belichick would be the first to admit that his coaches in the booth have made some bad challenge recommendations this season and need to improve. Just as Belichick isn't going to tell his players to take off the last 10 minutes of a game when up by several touchdowns, he's not going to tell his coaching staff to stop doing their jobs either.

Easterbrook doesn't understand what Belichick does - winning teams excel in ALL phases of the game and the role that the coaches play, and their need to practice, is just as important, if not more important than what happens between the lines.

Let the record show that the play in question was a failed challenge - in case Easterbrook would again assert that there was no need for the coaches to make their recommendation on a challenge and no need for Belichick to see if their performance and decisions were right or wrong and in possible need of improvement.

 

[SpiderFox53]

That's nice that Easterbrook thinks our coaching staff doesn't need to do a better job on its review of plays and determining when and when not to challenge a ruling.

Frankly, I think Belichick would be the first to admit that his coaches in the booth have made some bad challenge recommendations this season and need to improve. Just as Belichick isn't going to tell his players to take off the last 10 minutes of a game when up by several touchdowns, he's not going to tell his coaching staff to stop doing their jobs either.

Easterbrook doesn't understand what Belichick does - winning teams excel in ALL phases of the game and the role that the coaches play, and their need to practice, is just as important, if not more important than what happens between the lines.

Let the record show that the play in question was a failed challenge - in case Easterbrook would again assert that there was no need for the coaches to make their recommendation on a challenge and no need for Belichick to see if their performance and decisions were right or wrong and in possible need of improvement.

I know this is splitting hairs, but BB actually won the challenge, the ball was respotted and they measured for the first down. Just because the Raiders made the first down anyway is incidental. (They only made the first down because the crew had already moved the chains and didn't get them moved back to the correct spot).

 

[MassPats38]

Easterbrook is useless. I like the stats presentation in ESPN and saw an article earlier this season on the Pats but did not realize it was Easterbrook. It had Easterbrook stating, more or less, "should we feel sorry for the Patriots or is it karma." In short, the team appears to be down, so let's kick it.

On the up side, if this dillhole is grumbling about the Patriots again, it means the Patriots are sufficiently successful to throw some salt in his wounded pride for incorrectly predicting the Pats' demise after Spygate and now after substantial injuries. Good.

I for one don't credit him with intelligence. He is a juggling clown peddling to the masses of fans who hate the Patriots for its success and lacks the logical ability to dispel his own illogical premises supporting his faulty conclusions. I hope the Pats win 5 more Lombardi's in the next 7 years, Easterbrook blows a gasket and writes something that gets him fired, and the only writing he is allowed to do at that point is on his personal blog that nobody reads.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

Easterbrook is useless. I like the stats presentation in ESPN and saw an article earlier this season on the Pats but did not realize it was Easterbrook. It had Easterbrook stating, more or less, "should we feel sorry for the Patriots or is it karma." In short, the team appears to be down, so let's kick it.

On the up side, if this dillhole is grumbling about the Patriots again, it means the Patriots are sufficiently successful to throw some salt in his wounded pride for incorrectly predicting the Pats' demise after Spygate and now after substantial injuries. Good.

I for one don't credit him with intelligence. He is a juggling clown peddling to the masses of fans who hate the Patriots for its success and lacks the logical ability to dispel his own illogical premises supporting his faulty conclusions. I hope the Pats win 5 more Lombardi's in the next 7 years, Easterbrook blows a gasket and writes something that gets him fired, and the only writing he is allowed to do at that point is on his personal blog that nobody reads.

Or the Herald hires him......