Beka, Author at Football for Normal Girls

Wait…What Just Happened? : Fumble Recovery

Another week, another chat about flaws in the Coach’s Challenge system.

Early in yesterday’s Colts at Ravens playoff game, Ravens running back Ray Rice fumbled the ball, the Colts recovered it, and then a Ravens player emerged from the pile with the football.

So, sequence: Ravens fumble, Colts recover, Colts lose possession, Ravens dig it out and re-recover it.

The official call: Colts football.

Now at first glance, this is a weird call. If a player emerges from the bottom of a pile with the football, you’d assume he had the final possession of the football. But more often than not things get ugly at the bottom of the pile and players scrap for the ball even after the play is dead (when the whistle has been blown) to try and get possession. So in that light, it would make sense that the official (Mike Carey) who called Colts ball saw more than we did on TV and knew that the Colts had possession of the ball when the play was over, not the Ravens.

However, on second glance, it looks like the original sequence was right on: Ray Rice fumbled, the Colts recovered but lost the ball, and the Ravens re-recovered the ball at the bottom of the pile. It seemed like pretty solid evidence that if reviewed, the ball would be given to the Ravens.

But Ravens head coach John Harbaugh couldn’t do anything about the bad call. Remember what we learned about the Coach’s Challenge system? There are a bunch of plays that coaches can’t challenge, including fumbles. So even though it was clearly a bad call, the Ravens just had to get over it and keep playing (which they did, to the tune of a turnover of their own later that drive).

Next week, we’ll talk about something other than the issues with the Challenge system. Promise.

What to Know : Wildcard Weekend

Welcome to your Wildcard Weekend What to Know post! Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I was more excited for a playoff round. This is fixing to be one for the ages, so let’s jump right in!

Bengals at Texans

Saturday, January 5th, 4:30pm EST

What to Know: Sometimes, history repeats itself. Almost a year ago to the day, the Texans and Bengals played in the 2012 AFC Wildcard game at Reliant Stadium. On Saturday, they’ll do the exact same thing. Last year’s score? Texans 31, Bengals 10. History has a reasonable chance of repeating itself in the outcome as well, since their current coach, Marvin Lewis, has an 0-3 record in the playoffs. But weren’t rules made to be broken? The Texans haven’t been playing their best as of late, and while that’s never an excellent predictor of playoff potential, it’s certainly a factor to consider. Especially since the Bengals have won 7 of their last 8 games.

Vikings at Packers

Saturday, January 5th, 8:00pm EST

What to Know: A) I’ll be a hott mess all day long. (Who am I kidding? I’m a hott mess right now just writing this post.) B) This is what Wildcard Weekend is all about. Two divisional rivals going at it for the third time in a season, split victories, one dominant throughout (the Packers), one a complete surprise (the Vikings). Consider this: the Packers were ranked 3rd in the ESPN Preseason Power Rankings. The Vikings? 31st. (And the only team ranked below them? The Colts. Who are also in the playoffs. THAT’S how crazy this league is.) Not to slight the rest of the team, but Adrian Peterson is the entire reason the Vikings are relevant right now, and he’s also their greatest chance for success. He’s run all over the Packers in their last two meetings (to the tune of 210 yards and 199 yards)…even with a fully loaded box. At times last Sunday the Packers brought NINE players down (leaving two lonely players upfield!). That’s nearly double the number of men on the offensive line. And they still couldn’t stop AP. I’m not necessarily blaming the Packers; I’m crediting Peterson. He’s a force that can’t be reckoned with and I think it will be a huge mistake if he doesn’t win league MVP this year.

Colts at Ravens

Sunday, January 6th, 1:o0pm EST

What to Know: The name of this game is emotion. The Colts have had a true dream season this year, defying all odds and playing in honor of head coach Chuck Pagano, who missed most of the season while going through cancer treatments. Coach Pagano, also defying all odds, is back on the sidelines again and will be coaching his team in their playoff appearance in Baltimore on Sunday. The Ravens, however, also have something to play for. Veteran middle linebacker Ray Lewis announced earlier this week that he will be retiring at the conclusion of this season. (If you don’t know who Ray Lewis is, you need to. He’s good for your soul. If you have 5 minutes, watch this. If you have 15 minutes, watch this. If you have 45 minutes, watch this. If you have an hour, watch them all! You won’t be sorry.) Lewis is the unquestioned leader of the team. He is the ultimate teammate (and one of the best, if not the best, middle linebackers to ever play the game). What he means to this team on and off the field can’t be overstated, so there’s no doubt the players will unite to try to win another Super Bowl for Ray.

[hr]

This brings me to one of the unfortunate facts of football: for there to be a winner, there has to be a loser. And honestly, who wants to see either of these teams lose? They’re both so inspiring in their own ways, both deserve a victory for what they represent on and off the field. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Rick Telander’s book Like a Rose: “Football is the oddest, meanest, sweetest game. It is a conflict at its root and at its surface. It pulls a sane person in two directions – anger and joy.”

[hr]

Seahawks at Redskins

Sunday, January 6th, 4:30pm EST

What to Know: This is only the second time in NFL history that two rookie quarterbacks are facing off against each other in the playoffs. The first time was last year when Texans rookie T.J. Yates and Bengals rookie Andy Dalton played in the aforementioned Wildcard game – but that was slightly different because Yates was not the starter; he was backing up for injured QB Matt Schaub. So that means this is the first time that two rookie QB’s who were the original starters have met in the playoffs – and what a pair to set the precedent! Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and Redskins QB Robert Griffin III (RG3) are both in contention for Rookie of the Year (along with Colts QB Andrew Luck, who will also be playing on Sunday). Both teams are coming into this game with a disadvantage: RG3 took a brutal hit a few weeks ago and is still recovering from the Gumby-esque contortion his leg suffered. The Seahawks are undefeated at home, but they’ve struggled at times as a road team and will have to travel cross-country for this game. It’s set to be a historic showdown, no matter what the final score is.

One Final Note:

Don’t be lulled into thinking that just because this is the first round of the playoffs it doesn’t really matter – that they’re just Wildcard games. Seriously, nothing could be further from the truth. Aside from the Super Bowl, this is my favorite weekend of football all season long. Eight powerhouse teams match up in a FULL WEEKEND of games. And recent history says that one of the underdogs from Wildcard Weekend will be the eventual Super Bowl winner (Packers in ’10, Giants in ’11).

So, basically: clear your schedules. It’s going to be a great weekend.

Highs and Lows : NFC

Here’s Part II of this morning’s review of the teams who failed to make the playoffs this year, ranked in best-to-worst order according to the records, complete with highs and lows.

Let’s go!

In the NFC:

7. The Chicago Bears

High point: The Bears began the season 7-1. but perhaps the biggest positive of the season was the rediscovery of the Cutler to Marshall connection. The QB/WR duo were reunited in Chicago this season and proved that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Low point: In what had to be the biggest off-season surprise so far, head coach Lovie Smith was fired on Monday after nine seasons in Chicago – including a Super Bowl appearance, multiple playoff appearances, and a 10-6 season this year. However, this is usually what happens when a new GM is hired and doesn’t get to choose his head coach: he fires the coach the first chance he gets. Unfortunate, but true.

8. The New York Giants

High point: The big win against the Packers coming off their bye week in Week 12. It seemed like it was all systems go for the reigning Super Bowl champs, however…

Low point: You can only hope for a thrilling Eli Manning 4th quarter victory so often. And the Giants needed one too many this year. A surprisingly disappointing season for last year’s Super Bowl champs, but the Giants will be just fine. Couglin’s got it all under control.

9. The Dallas Cowboys

High point: The unlikely win against the Giants in Week 1. It seemed like they were firing on all cylinders, primed for an excellent season.

Low point: I’m going with the 29-24 loss to the Giants in October on this one. The Cowboys fought back and overcame a 23-0 deficit…and then lost the game. It was basically the story of the season for the Boys in Blue.

10. The St. Louis Rams

High point: If I were a Rams fan, I would feel great about this season. The Rams, under new head coach Jeff Fisher, finished 4-1-1 (4 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie) in their division this season. For a team that finished 7-9 on the season, that’s not too shabby.

Low point: The overseas obliteration by the Patriots. It’s one thing to lose; it’s quite another when you have to think about it for hours on end on a flight home from Europe. Salt in the wound.

11. The Carolina Panthers

High point: The fortification of Cam Newton. He had a rough initiation to his second year as a starting QB but seemed to emerge stronger and better for it, winning 4 of their last 5 games.

Low point: The pre-season Super Bowl guarantee. Just say no to theatrics and promises.

12. The New Orleans Saints

High point: I really think the high point for the Saints this year isn’t a single moment; it was a collective decision to fight, not fold. The Saints were up against Everest this season with all of the suspensions and circus of Bounty Gate, but they gave it their best shot every week. I’d bet Drew Brees and his heart and passion had a lot to do with that.

Low point: Having the entire country wonder whether the Saints would even win a single game this season after a seemingly hopeless 0-4 start. And, it has to be mentioned: the suspensions. The ones that stuck and the ones that didn’t but still lingered over the whole season. They played through it as well as anyone could have hoped for, but it was still a major distraction.

13. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

High point: The emergence of rookie running back Doug Martin. His breakout 251-yard game in Week 9 was unreal. (Although the nickname “muscle hamster” might be a person low point for Martin.)

Low point: The way the Week 7 game against the Saints ended, with the enforcement of the illegal touching of a forward pass penalty. It felt like such a let-down after a riveting, hard-fought game.

14. The Arizona Cardinals

High point: The 4-0 start.

Low point: The rest of the season.

(Seriously.)

15. The Detroit Lions

High point: Calvin Johnson breaking Jerry Rice’s single-season receiving yards record. He deserved that record as a player and as a person.

Low point: There were a lot of heartbreaking losses for the Lions this season. (Not that I’m complaining; I’m a Packers fan after all.) But if I were on the sidelines, I think the most soul-crushing would have been the Thanksgiving day loss to the Texans, in large part due to the enforcement of the crazy challenge flag rules.

16. The Philadelphia Eagles

High point: Winning 3 of their first 4 games, which seemed like a good sign for the Eagles, despite the fact that they were winning in improbable, by-the-skin-of-their-teeth sorts of ways.

Low point: Losing 11 of their next 12 games, which seemed to expose the flaws that were hinted at during the less-than-convincing wins at the beginning of the season. Head coach Andy Reid was fired on Monday after 14 seasons with the team. He’s already interviewing for new head coaching jobs, and he’ll no doubt bring new life into whichever job he chooses. He’s a class act.

Good work, everyone! We made it through both conferences in one day! Woo hoo!!!

Tomorrow, we’ll look ahead to Wildcard Weekend and chat about the teams headed to the playoffs. See you then!

Highs and Lows : AFC

There would usually be a “What to Know After Week 17” post this week, but since it’s the end of the regular season we’re going to evaluate the teams who did not make the playoffs, whose seasons ended in Week 17. Let’s start in the AFC and take a look at each team’s highs and lows, ranked best to worst according to their regular season record (beginning with #7, since the top 6 teams are in the playoffs).

In the AFC:

7. The Pittsburgh Steelers

High point: The unexpected Charlie Batch led win over the Ravens was everything we love about football. Great win for a great player.

Low point: Roethlisberger was a key player to the Steelers demise this season – both his absence (because of injury) and his presence (because of late-game turnovers) – presented problems for Pittsburgh, along with a litany of other high-profile players who were injured.

8. The San Diego Chargers

High point: Ending up in the middle of the pack in the AFC after another dismal season. (This might speak more to the AFC than it does to the Chargers, but they should probably take it and run with it anyways.)

Low point: In their third consecutive season without making the playoffs they’ve officially done what they’ve been rumored to do in each of those three seasons: fire head coach Norv Turner and General Manager A.J. Smith.

9. The Miami Dolphins

High point: Honestly, it could have been a lot worse for the Dolphins this year. 7-9 isn’t too bad for a team with a lot of drama early on in the season and a new head coach.

Low point: The sprinklers going off in the middle of the third quarter of the Seahawks at Dolphins game. Really, this clip never gets old.

10. The Tennessee Titans

High point: A 37-3 win in Miami in Week 10.

Low point: A 51-20 loss in Chicago in Week 9.

(That’s a microcosm of the Titans season: big wins and big losses back to back. They’re one of the toughest teams to figure out. But head coach Mike Munchak will stay on for a second season after firing rumors were put to rest on Monday by owner Bud Adams.)

11. The New York Jets

High point: A 48-28 statement win in Week 1 against the Bills that seemed like a tone-setter for the season to come.

Low point: The now-infamous butt-fumble against the Patriots, which was much more indicative of the actual tone of the season: mind-boggling, ugly, and painful to the point of hilarity. That the Jets are not 16th on this list is a stunning indictment of the state of the AFC.

12. The Buffalo Bills

High point: Stand-out running back C.J. Spiller. He had a phenomenal season.

Low point: The Bills fired head coach Chan Gailey on Monday after three seasons. They have major problems to address in the off-season, most notably quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Also: the Lambeau Leap fail. Priceless.

13. The Cleveland Browns

High point: The win against the Roethlisberger-less Steelers in Week 12. Sure, the Steelers did everything in their power to lose the game (to the tune of 8 turnovers) but it’s still nice to win against a divisional foe when victories are few and far between.

Low point: New owner Jimmy Haslam fired the coach and the GM on Monday and is expected to make sweeping changes throughout the entire organization. I’m probably wrong, but it doesn’t feel like this whole situation is good news for the Browns.

14. The Oakland Raiders

High point: QB Terrell Pryor (former Ohio State Buckeye) got his first start on Sunday, and Raiders fans should feel slightly optimistic about his potential (in the right system). Also, it looks like head coach Dennis Allen will keep his job after a tough first season.

Low point: It should always be a good thing to shut a team out, as the Raiders did to the Chiefs in Week 15. But when you do so entirely by field goals, it turns into a low point. Oh my word.

15. The Jacksonville Jaguars

High point: The almost-upset of the Texans in Week 11.

Low point: The Jags are setting themselves up for an odd off-season, firing their GM and keeping their head coach in limbo. Rumor has it that Tim Tebow is headed to Jacksonville, so one can only hope an innovative head coach running the spread option offense will dive in head first with Tebow. But basically, they are rebuilding the puzzle without the edge pieces in place first, and you can never be sure how that’s going to work out.

16. The Kansas City Chiefs

High point: The win against the Panthers the day after the horrific murder-suicide of Javon Belcher. I can’t imagine what kind of mental fortitude it took not only to coach and play that game, but also to win it with a team that only won one other game the entire season. A well-deserved victory if there ever was one.

Low point: Chiefs fans cheering after struggling QB Matt Cassel was knocked out during a game. That was a red flag that the collective mindset of football fans and culture of the game needs to change immediately. Also: the firing of Romeo Crennel on Monday. He’s a good man.

***Just a note from football history: “Black Monday,” the Monday following the regular season conclusion when head coaches get fired, was especially black this year, with seven firings so far. A lot of these guys were in their first few years with the organization, and while I realize that the NFL is a win-now league, I think it bears noting that famed Cowboys head coach Tom Landry did not win a SINGLE GAME in his first season. He went on to create a dynasty in Dallas, serving as head coach for 29 years. So there’s something to be said for having faith and withholding the ax.

***History Rant Concluded.

WHEW! Alright, so far we’ve covered the highs and lows of the AFC. This afternoon, we’ll breakdown the NFC.

See you all then!

Surviving the Super Bowl : Playoffs

Hello, ladies! Welcome to Surviving the Super Bowl! Over the next few weeks we’ll be reviewing information that will be essential to not just surviving the Super Bowl this year, but actually enjoying the game!

This week, we’ll start with learning how teams advance through the playoffs and earn the right to play in the Super Bowl.

Ready? Let’s go!

In the NFL, there are two conferences, the NFC and the AFC. There are four divisions within each conference (north, south, east, and west), and four teams in each division (resulting in 32 teams).

I’m better with visuals, so here’s what that looks like:

Does that make sense?

Ok, so from all of those teams, only 12 make it to the playoffs (six from each conference).

To make the playoffs, a team has to place first in their division (AFC North, NFC South, etc). During the 16-game regular season schedule a team plays all of the other teams in their division twice: once at home, and once away.

Example: in the NFC North, the Packers play the Lions, the Bears, and the Vikings once at Lambeau (home), and they will also travel to Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota to play each team at their own stadium (away). That accounts for six games each season. The results of these divisional games are especially important because, as we talked about above, a team needs to win their division to make it to the playoffs. If two teams in the same division have the same overall record, the team that has the best divisional record gets the playoff spot.

The remaining 10 games are played in an even split of home and away games on a rotating schedule against all of the other teams in the league.

The four teams that win their division from each conference are ranked (“seeded”) according to their regular season record. That results in eight teams total. The remaining four teams are called “Wildcard” teams. These are the two teams from each conference who have the best regular season record. When matched up, the team that is seeded higher plays at home; the lower seed has to travel.

Here’s what the 2012 playoff picture looks like. The teams in yellow are the teams that won their division; the teams in green are the wildcard teams. Each team’s seed is shown by the number next to it.

The playoffs are a single elimination tournament played over the course of several weeks. Here’s what happens each week:

Week 1: Wildcard Round

The top two seeds from each conference earn a first round bye, which means they get the week off. After a long season, it’s a coveted luxury since all of the teams are playing hurt and greatly benefit from a week without a game. This year, the top two seeds in the AFC are the Broncos (1) and the Patriots (2) and the top two seeds in the NFC are the Falcons (1) and the 49ers (2).

Among the remaining eight teams, the highest and lowest seeds in each conference play each other (Seeds 3 and 6) and the middle seeds play each other (Seeds 4 and 5). So, using our little infographic up there, we know that in the AFC, the Ravens (4) and playing the Colts (5) in Baltimore and the Texans (3) are playing the Bengals (6) in Houston. In the NFC, the Redskins (4) are playing the Seahawks (5) in Washington and the Packers (3) are playing the Vikings (6) in Green Bay.

Week 2: Divisional Round

The top seeds return from the bye week and get to play at home. The same schedule follows: the highest and lowest ranked seeds play each other and the middle seeds play each other. So whichever teams won their wildcard round game the week before travel to their assigned divisional round game.

Week 3: Conference Championships

At this point, four teams remain, two from each conference. Those teams play each other (at the higher seeded teams stadium) and the winners are the AFC and NFC Conference Champions. Those two teams are the teams that go to the Super Bowl.

Week 4: Bye Week (Week Off)

AKA: Controlled craziness. Until media day arrives, the only day the media has access to players, at which point the craziness is completely uncontrolled.

Super Bowl!

The AFC and NFC Champions play each other in a predetermined location. This year, the game is in New Orleans.

(Side note: a home team has never played the in the Super Bowl in their own stadium. Isn’t that crazy?!)

Alright, ladies. Consider your playoff briefing complete. Now you know how the teams got to the playoffs; next week we’ll talk about what you need to know to watch them play in the playoffs.

Need info sooner than that? No problem! Check out any of the Basics posts or head over to the Glossary for a great primer on anything you need to know!

New Year, New Website

Welcome to the new home of Football for Normal Girls!

We’ve moved out of the apartment and bought our very own house, mortgage and all :)

Let’s start with a little tour!

You’re here on the main blog. This is where you’ll find all of the good stuff – posts about the bare-bones-basics, some advanced breakdowns, helpful news, and whatever happens to be running through my fingers and onto the keyboard (good luck).

You’ll also find a few new features around here! The FAQ page will help with any questions you need answered and the Sitemap and Archives will help you find anything you might be looking for.

My favorite new feature: the Glossary. It’s humble now, but it will be growing like CRAZY over the weeks and months to come! The best part: when any word in the glossry is used in a post, you’ll be able to see it highlighted and hover over it for an on-the-spot definition. I mean, come on. Thank you, smart web developers!

AND…Football for Normal Girls has entered the 21st Century and embraced social media. We’re going big-time over here! Come visit on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Best way to get in on all of the new and exciting action? Subscribe! You can do so by email or RSS on the sidebar at right.

I think that about covers it! Go have a look around and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you! And be sure to stop back in again tomorrow when we start a new series: Surviving the Super Bowl. It’s almost here! Over the next few weeks we’ll be equipping you with everything you need to know to actually enjoy the Super Bowl this year (for a reason other than the pizza and commercials).

Can’t wait to see you then! Thanks for stopping by!