AFC Divisional Playoffs - (5) Baltimore Ravens at (2) Pittsburgh Steelers

• bigdaddy2003

  

  Guys can we please stay on topic?
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Non;638048 wrote:It depends on how it goes. I can't say the officiating won't be a major factor because the ref is Jeff Tripplette, one of the worst in the league.

  If he were that bad...he wouldn't be reffing a playoff game.
• Non

  

  Heretic;637823 wrote:As for your prediction, I disagree. Regardless of who wins, I can't see this game being decided by more than single digits.

  You're probably right. I would put it at about a 90 percent chance of being a game that is decided by seven points or less either way.
  
  But I think there is maybe a 10 percent chance that the Steelers smoke em.
  
  I say that because Baltimore played last week on Sunday. The Steelers are well rested, the defense plus the crowd noise could equal a lot of pressure on Flacco from the get go. It would only take a mistake or two early on and the place will be rocking. I've seen that happen before in the divisional round. It actually went that way back in 2001 when the Ravens played the Steelers for the third time.
  
  I hope it goes that way because I think if the Steelers plod along and the crowd gets bored and stuff, they'll have a tough time winning.
• Non

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638055 wrote:If he were that bad...he wouldn't be reffing a playoff game.

  
  There are a lot of people questioning why he not only got a playoff game but a divisional round game.
  
  He might do a good job but I consider officiating a key part of the game, especially in the playoffs. When it's a close game between two evenly matched teams, the game could change on one call.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Non;638078 wrote:There are a lot of people questioning why he not only got a playoff game but a divisional round game.
  
  He might do a good job but I consider officiating a key part of the game, especially in the playoffs. When it's a close game between two evenly matched teams, the game could change on one call.

  Yeah but he's making good/bad calls against both teams so it becomes moot.
• like_that

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638083 wrote:Yeah but he's making good/bad calls against both teams so it becomes moot.

  
  There is no point in discussing officiating with non. Trust me, you will legitimately get dumber from reading his nonsense.
• killer_ewok

  

  Turnovers, as always, will be huge. Neither team will be able to run the ball effectively. Making a play here and there in the passing game and mistakes will be the deciding factors. I expect special teams to be a wash.
• Non

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638083 wrote:Yeah but he's making good/bad calls against both teams so it becomes moot.

  
  How do you know that when the game hasn't been played yet?
  
  There could be a terrible blunder that only propels one team.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Non;638096 wrote:How do you know that when the game hasn't been played yet?
  
  There could be a terrible blunder that only propels one team.

  then it's a 50/50 shot of it propelling your team. You see how this is moot right? Both teams have the same odds of getting a terrible call against them.
• bigdaddy2003

  

  Can we not already blame the officiating before the game is even played?
• Non

  

  Take, for example, the game the Steelers lost to the Titans back in the 2002 divisional playoffs.
  
  34-31 in OT
  
  Joe Nedney missed a 31-yard field goal on the first possession in overtime, but Dewayne Washington got called for roughing the kicker. It was questionable/controversial. Maybe he did, maybe it wasn't that bad. But despite all of the other calls in that game, the outcome of that game really hinged on that call and Nedney getting a second chance from within 30 yards.
  
  I can't say there won't be a call or situation like that in this game. A lot of intensity. Bad blood. And now you add in a referee who has traditionally been a little clumsy.
• Footwedge

  holdingout;637850 wrote:And if Steelers lose, you'll be the first to blame it on poor officiating. Happens every time.

  This................. I hope this year the local Pittsburgh refs don't get assigned the Steeler games. It's amazing that Harrison ever makes a tackle....because according to the "fans", he gets held on every play.
• bigdaddy2003

  

  I can already see how this is going to go if Baltimore wins.
• Footwedge

  bigdaddy2003;638106 wrote:Can we not already blame the officiating before the game is even played?

  
  When it comes to Baltimore and the Steelers....one can safely assume the Ravens will get screwed. It happens every year.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Non;638109 wrote:Take, for example, the game the Steelers lost to the Titans back in the 2002 divisional playoffs.
  
  34-31 in OT
  
  Joe Nedney missed a 31-yard field goal on the first possession in overtime, but Dewayne Washington got called for roughing the kicker. It was questionable/controversial. Maybe he did, maybe it wasn't that bad. But despite all of the other calls in that game, the outcome of that game really hinged on that call and Nedney getting a second chance from within 30 yards.
  
  I can't say there won't be a call or situation like that in this game. A lot of intensity. Bad blood. And now you add in a referee who has traditionally been a little clumsy.

  If the steelers win on one of these clumsy calls i doubt you'll be in here thanking the refs for the win. Players need to adjust to how the game is going to be called, it's that simple.
• Non

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638104 wrote:then it's a 50/50 shot of it propelling your team. You see how this is moot right? Both teams have the same odds of getting a terrible call against them.

  
  No you're right about that. Both teams have the same odds of getting a terrible call against them.
• Non

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638117 wrote:If the steelers win on one of these clumsy calls i doubt you'll be in here thanking the refs for the win. Players need to adjust to how the game is going to be called, it's that simple.

  
  The Steelers have benefitted from the calls before. I'll be the first to admit it if that happens in this game. I guarantee it.
  
  But I don't think the calls always even out. There might be a mistake or blunder that hurts one team much more.
• Non

  

  Footwedge;638111 wrote:This................. I hope this year the local Pittsburgh refs don't get assigned the Steeler games. It's amazing that Harrison ever makes a tackle....because according to the "fans", he gets held on every play.

  
  The key this week is Michael Oher against Harrison. Not holding as much as Oher moving early from his stance to get a head start in pass protection.
  
  Oher has a tendency to drop back a tad early.
• Non

  

  Footwedge;638114 wrote:When it comes to Baltimore and the Steelers....one can safely assume the Ravens will get screwed. It happens every year.

  
  Except for the last game when Ben got smashed in the face and no penalty was called.
  
  Or the clear helmet hit on Heath Miller that wasn't called.
• rock_knutne

  bigdaddy2003;638053 wrote:Guys can we please stay on topic?

  What do you expect when the trolls surface.
• rock_knutne

  Non;638137 wrote:Except for the last game when Ben got smashed in the face and no penalty was called.
  
  Or the clear helmet hit on Heath Miller that wasn't called.

  Non, you might as well not waste your time and effort on these dolts. They hate the Steelers and it's never going to change.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  rock_knutne;638152 wrote:Non, you might as well not waste your time and effort on these dolts. They hate the Steelers and it's never going to change.

  No one is trolling you fool...just saying that blaming the officials is nuts, especially since each team has the same shot of having a bad call hurt them. Blaming the officials is a dumb excuse for your team not winning, put the game away sooner so the officials calls won't affect the outcome. Same thing in boxing, don't blame the judges for you not winning because you couldn't finish the fight.
• bigdaddy2003

  

  We all know there is a chance of bad officiating but forecasting it before the game just bothers me because it makes it out that if Baltimore wins it will most assuredly be because of bad officiating.
• holdingout

  Non;638096 wrote:How do you know that when the game hasn't been played yet?
  
  There could be a terrible blunder that only propels one team.

  
  Yea, ask Miami what happened on October 24th of 2010.
• Non

  

  Raw Dawgin' it;638154 wrote:No one is trolling you fool...just saying that blaming the officials is nuts, especially since each team has the same shot of having a bad call hurt them. Blaming the officials is a dumb excuse for your team not winning, put the game away sooner so the officials calls won't affect the outcome. Same thing in boxing, don't blame the judges for you not winning because you couldn't finish the fight.

  
  I agree in the sense that I'd like the Steelers to get up big so they don't have to worry about the officiating.
  
  But just because both teams have the same shot of having a bad call go against them before the game, doesn't mean they'll get equal treatment during that game. One team might benefit more from the accumulative work of the officials or just one key sequence or situation. It might warrant outrage. I'll wait and see how the game unfolds.
  
  But keep in mind, over the past 30 years or so watching every Steelers game, there might've been 5-10 games where I thought the officials really helped the other team more. I'll even say that more games have gone the Steelers way.
  
  This game still has to be played, though, so anything can happen.