If this NFL: Recap of the NFL football game between the Chiefs and the Chargers”>Wild Card Round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs should leave us with anything, it is to recognize that we cannot reduce football games to a single play. We talked about that and what happened in these games, all from the Shotgun Formation.
The mistake of reducing everything to one move
Football is a sport where, to get a first down, you may need up to four plays. There are offensive series that take between 15 and 20. A team can have 60, 70 offensive plays in a game. With so many actions, it is incredible to think that a single play is the one that decides the outcome of the match. Even so, year after year we reach that reductionism, and more so in the postseason.
A clear example: there are those who claim that the Raiders and the Cowboys lost because of what happened in only one of the plays of their respective postseason duels.
Let’s start with the Raiders and Joe Burrow’s mid-pass whistle. True, the play shouldn’t have counted by rule and should have been replayed, but…was that really the only reason they lost the match? At the time of that touchdown, the Bengals led 13-6. Let’s imagine that the play is repeated and instead of a touchdown they get a field goal. The game goes 16-6. On the next series the Raiders scored, so the game would have gone 16-13 at halftime.
.@JoeyB‘s Awareness = 100
Watch on NBC pic.twitter.com/VqDsHh3hgb
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 15, 2022
In the end the Bengals won by seven points, but it wasn’t the only place where they had an advantage: the Raiders gave up two balls and Cincinnati none. Usually, losing the ball more times than the opponent leads you to lose. To think that Las Vegas lost the game because of the officials’ error in Tyler Boyd’s scoring is to want to reduce everything the Raiders failed to do to one action. And it does not work.
Then there is the matter of the Cowboys.
Dallas came close in the game, and had a chance to win the game, but the last play of the game came:
What a way to end the game! #SuperWildCard pic.twitter.com/esKKpbkrQn
— NFL (@NFL) January 17, 2022
There are several things to say here: running down the center is not a very wise decision when you have a few seconds left without timeouts. Then there is Dak’s mistake of giving the ball to his center to set the ball up, when the only person who can do it is the official. In fact, that is what leads to the final clash: the official was looking for the ball to accommodate it because, by rule, he is the one to do it.
Now, back to the point: That action as such did not cause Dallas to lose. Having 14 penalties in the game is an important factor. There were many plays where the Cowboys got a good result, but came back with penalties. The last move was weird, that’s true, but it wasn’t the whole reason for the Cowboys’ loss.
That is why I ask that, despite the annoyance that an action generates, we do not try to reduce defeat to that. Football is too complex a sport to treat it like that.
Wild Card Round Quick Impressions
1. Historical. Los Cincinnati Bengals gWon their first postseason game since 1991, ending a 31-year drought. This came at a rather curious time, because we have already talked on several occasions about the low expectations that were around this team at the beginning of the year.
It’s amazing that right now we’re talking about the Bengals as one of the top four teams in the AFC and also talk about how this is just the beginning of a very bright stage with Joe Burrow as the face of the organization.
2. Too much difference. the Bills they ran over the Patriots, los Buccaneers they had no problem controlling the Eagles and the chiefs met expectations against the Steelers. At first glance, it’s easy to think that the playoffs shouldn’t have seven teams per conference, but remember that this is not the standard. We’ve seen seasons where wild cards pull off big upsets and even win the Super Bowl. So yes, it was a bad weekend in terms of emotions, but it’s also not a guarantee that every year will be like this.
3. Great idea. I know that it had already been done last year, but having a game on Nickelodeon (with everything and its particular production) is an extraordinary idea. Let’s face it: watching a game on CBS, FOX or ABC (which is where the signals come from for the world) is exactly the same. Nickelodeon adds a different touch to the broadcast and could be key to getting some kids interested in the NFL at a very young age.
The things I think I know
After what happened in the Wild Cards Round, here are some things I think I know:
1. Great. I love AFC Divisional games, that’s for sure. Titans vs. Bengals and Chiefs vs. Bills should be extremely interesting games where we can also expect a good number of points. I think honestly, anything can happen.
2. Very interesting. Having another San Francisco vs. Green Bay is something very striking, because a team that has been very difficult for Matt LaFleur is precisely this one. We’ll see if this version of the 49ers is capable of repeating history against a Packers that, on paper, look much better.
the song of the week
This week will mark, for all we know, the end of Ben Roethlisberger’s career. So it’s a good time to play this song, because, as the title says, it will ride off into the sun.
data of the week
Speaking of Big Ben, here’s a great tidbit:
Ben Roethlisberger is the 3rd QB since 1950 to make a playoff start as a rookie and in his final season (Dan Marino, Andrew Luck).
He will do it 17 years apart. Only Tom Brady has a greater span between his 1st & most recent playoff game (20 years).
h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/9Ak2DeVvMY
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 16, 2022
repeat of the week
What Nickelodeon did with reruns is worthy of recognition.
All highlights should be like this. #NickWildCard pic.twitter.com/JdwN8oXCn8
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 16, 2022
Intercept video of the week
This Micah Hyde interception was a real beauty:
Stop everything and watch this interception by Micah Hyde.
????: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/VqkkBYIVmq
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) January 16, 2022
Reception video of the week
And speaking of beauties, here’s this DeVonta Smith reception.
This DeVonta Smith catch was UNREAL ????
(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/YlbRiVQIt3— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 16, 2022
Here we end this installment of our column. You already know that you can leave me here below this article in the comments or on my twitter account your suggestions for topics to be discussed From the Shotgun Formation. You can also share videos that you think should appear in one of the weekly sections.
