Football for Normal Girls - Page 7 of 67 -

Postseason Prep : How the Playoffs Work

Last week in our postseason prep we learned about how teams make it to the postseason. Now that we know how teams get there in the first place, let’s move on and talk about how they advance through the playoffs.

Since this year’s postseason groups is still being decided I’m going to use last year’s playoff picture to put some flesh on this lesson:

The teams in yellow are the division winners. The teams in green are the wildcard teams. The number next to each indicates where they are seeded based on their overall and divisional record.

Good? Ok.

Once the teams and the seed order has been determined, then we can finally get around to playing!

The playoffs are a single elimination tournament played over the course of several weeks. The playoffs are a way of determining the best team from each conference, so teams only play other teams within their conference (AFC or NFC) during the playoffs. Each week features a different matchup within the conference.

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. (Usually. Sometimes teams can also loose momentum from a week off, which is to their detriment. But more often than not it seems to be helpful.) In 2012, the top two seeds in the AFC were the Broncos (1) and the Patriots (2) and the top two seeds in the NFC were 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). The higher seed gets home field advantage. So, using our little infographic up there, we know that in the AFC the Ravens (4) played the Colts (5) in Baltimore and the Texans (3) played the Bengals (6) in Houston. In the NFC, the Redskins (4) played the Seahawks (5) in Washington and the Packers (3) played the Vikings (6) in Green Bay.

We also now know that the Ravens, Texans, Seahawks, and Packers all won their games and advanced to the next round.

(And there you have an accurate portrait of parody in the NFL. There’s a good chance that more than half of the teams that played on Wildcard Weekend last year won’t even make the playoffs this year.)

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. Using last year’s example, we know that in the AFC the top seeded Broncos (1) played the Ravens (4) and the Patriots (2) played the Texans (3). The Ravens and Patriots both won and advanced to the next round. In the NFC the top seeded Falcons (1) played the Seahawks (5) and the 49ers (2) played the Packers (3). The Falcons won, as did the 49ers ~~and I don’t still have nightmares about Colin Kaepernick running freely about the field or anything~~.

Week 3: Conference Championships

At this point, four teams remain, two from each conference. Last year, in the AFC, it was the Patriots (2) and the Ravens(4). The last two standing in the NFC were the Falcons (1) and the 49ers (2).

Those teams play each other at the higher seeded teams stadium and the winners are the AFC and NFC Conference Champions. In last year’s case, it was the Ravens and the 49ers. Those two teams, the last team standing from each conference, 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. Last year, the game was played in New Orleans. There were brothers and a blackout, and eventually the Ravens emerged victorious. This year’s Super Bowl is at MetLife stadium in NYC…which should be a party with Jack Frost and a million or so of his closest snowflake friends. Another Ice Bowl might be on it’s way.

Whew! And there you have it: how teams advance through the playoffs. And we only have to wait a few more weeks until this year’s games start!!!

Rules : Fair Catch

Have you ever seen the guy waving in the end zone during a kickoff? He’s not waving to welcome the defenders who are rapidly approaching; he’s signaling for a fair catch.

What’s a fair catch?

A fair catch is when a receiver signals that he is going to catch the ball only – not advance it – during a kickoff. If you would like to know the technical definition of a wave, the NFL says the receiver, “must raise one arm a full length above his head and wave it from side to side while kick is in flight.” Good to know.

When a player signals for a fair catch it means he wants to catch the ball right where he’s standing, and that’s all. He won’t try to run forward and advance the ball down the field after signaling a fair catch. (If he does, he’ll just end up further back than he was when he started thanks to a 5-yard penalty from the spot where he waved.) As a result, players on the kicking team are not allowed to tackle a player on the receiving team who signaled for a fair catch. They also aren’t allowed to interfere with the ball or the path of the ball. (Interfering in any way will cost the kicking team 15 yards!) However, if a player signals for the fair catch and then decides it isn’t so fair after all, that’s fine. He doesn’t have to catch the ball. But once he signals for the fair catch he can’t interfere with anyone on the kicking team. If he does, it’s a 15-yard penalty.

Here’s a bonus point to ponder, just because I’ve never heard of it before and think it’s hilarious:

If time expires while ball is in play and a fair catch is awarded, receiving team may choose to extend the period with one fair catch kick down. However, placekicker may not use tee.

I honestly have no idea what that would look like in an actual game. All I can picture is the ref coming over to the kicker and taking his tee away.

What He Said : Their Own 20-yard Line

More than likely you’ve heard announcers describe a team’s field position as being on “their own” such-and-such yard line. Which might raise more than a few questions if you aren’t sure which part of the field belongs to which team. Is it their own because of something they did in the game or something they won in the coin toss? Or their own because they’re the team on offense, trying to score?

All valid guesses.

But it’s actually much simpler than you might think. A team’s “own” side of the field is the 50-yards of field directly in front of their end zone. As we learned last week, each team has an end zone, and the one behind them is their end zone. The one in front of them is the opposing team’s end zone. The 50-yards attached to their end zone is their own side of the field, the other 50-yards attached to their opponent’s end zone is the other team’s “territory.”

So in a game between the Bills and the Jets, if the Jets are on the 20-yard line closest to their end zone they are on their own side of the field. If they are on the 20-yard line closest to the Bills’ end zone, they are in Bills territory.

Here’s a terrible visual, as well as a visual representation of why I am learning Photoshop right now. But it should do the trick. (Or blind you all, one or the other.)

So let’s make life easy and pretend we have two teams: the blue team and the red team. The blue side of the field is the 50-yards attached to the blue team’s end zone, or their “own” side of the field. Ditto for the red team. If, as per the title of this post, the blue team was starting at their own 20-yard line, they would be lined up as pictured above. The yellow line across the 20 is the line of scrimmage. The blue team is going to line up facing the red teams end zone because that’s the end zone they are trying to score in. The red team lines up on the opposite side of the line to defend their end zone. They are also trying to force a turnover and score in the blue team’s end zone if possible.

As you can see (if you can still see), the blue team as a lot father to go until they cross over into the red team’s territory. This is the visual to keep in mind when 4th downs come to come. If, hypothetically, the blue team pictured above was facing a 4th and 5, they would only go for it is they were really, really desperate or really, really confident that it would work because if it doesn’t and they don’t get the first down they’d have to turn the ball over to the red team right where they are. That means the red team is already in scoring position, only 20-yards outside of the blue team’s end zone.

Does that make sense?

At the Water Cooler : Week 15

Yesterday morning I woke up to a foot of snow and I thought the day probably couldn’t get much better than that. (I’m a notorious and unapologetic snow lover.) And when the Packers were down 26-3 come halftime I thought, “It’s ok. I have snow!” But then, in what can only be described as The Half of Football That Made Me Lose My Ever-Loving Mind, the Packers won. And Week 15 became the best week ever.

Let’s review, shall we?

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (Chargers won, 27-20)

I was at a Christmas party for the majority of this game. And when I turned the game on NFL Mobile during the drive home I fully expected the score to be Broncos A Lot, Chargers Not A Lot. Shocker of a loss for the Broncos – and at home, no less!

Washington Redskins at Atlanta Falcons (Falcons won, 27-26)

Consider this: last year, both the Redskins and the Falcons were playoff teams. After this game, the Redskins fell to 3-11 and the Falcons to 4-10. It’s a crazy, crazy league.

Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns (Bears won, 38-31)

It may not have been a flawless return to the field, but Jay Cutler’s first game back was a win all the same. Alshon Jeffrey helped.

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (Colts won, 25-3)

Well, I was wrong.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins (Dolphins won, 24-20)

And all the Broncos said, “Amen!” (This guy was probably saying something other than amen.)

Philadelphia Eagles at Minnesota Vikings (Vikings won, 48-30)

In what we all thought would happen, the Vikings shellacked the Eagles – with Cassel and without Peterson. Of course!

Seattle Seahawks at NY Giants (Seahawks win, 23-0)

Don’t be surprised if the Seahawks find themselves back in NY for the Super Bowl come February.

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars (Bills won, 27-20)

It was a good weekend for Florida State quarterbacks, former and current. EJ Manuel had a great game against the Jags.

San Francisco 49ers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (49ers won, 33-14)

It was a first-half-of-2013 kind of game for the Bucs.

NY Jets at Carolina Panthers (Panthers won, 30-20)

I would not want to be on the receiving end of a Mike Tolbert run. This guy is a mountain. He is all the mountains. He is the Swiss Alps, basically.

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders (Chiefs won, 56-31)

Are you ready for some offense? The Chiefs may have put up 56, but they allowed 31 – 21 of those unanswered. That doesn’t say awesome things about the Kansas City defense.

Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans (Cardinals won, 37-34 OT)

This was a see-saw game – back and forth all the way. Until one untimely interception in overtime that gave the Cardinals the win.

New Orleans Saints at St. Louis Rams (Rams won, 27-16)

What happened, you guys? The Saints have a tough one up ahead too – facing the Panthers in Carolina. This division is far from decided.

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys (PACKERS WON! 37-36)

This has been a “there are no words” kind of season for the Packers, but there really are no words for what happened in Dallas yesterday. Perhaps the Packers should play all of their important games at Cowboys Stadium from now on.

Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (Steelers won, 30-20)

Did we all see the part where the Steelers came out and scored 21 unanswered points to start the game? It was pretty much over after that.

Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions (MNF on ESPN)

Ravens, my closest hometown team once I move to Harrisburg in a few weeks, I’m begging you to send an early Welcome to Town! gift and best the Lions tonight. Remember that you are the defending Super Bowl Champions!!! You can do it!

Review and Preview : Week 14

Review

Monday: Are you a normal girl who is also a football fan? We want YOU! Join our offseason feature.

Tuesday: We learned a new party trick: how to quickly tell which end zone belongs to which team.

Wednesday: Read only if wrapping your mind around a new definition of backward won’t give you a brain cramp.

Thursday: It’s the most wonderful time of the year…to get ready for the postseason! Part One: How the Postseason Works.

Preview

I’m just going to level with you all. For this late in the season…there isn’t a wealth of spectacular games to choose from this weekend. However, there are few things to keep an eye on.

Normal Girl Game of the Week

Packers at Cowboys, 4:25pm EST on FOX

America’s worst defense matches up against America’s worst able-to-recover-from-losing-their-starting-quarterback in America’s Game of the Week on FOX. All the same, the Cowboys and the Packers playoff hopes are both (precariously) on the line. It’s like the 1960s all over again…but far, far worse.

Also on the Radar:

1. Houston at Indy is a good game disguised as a terrible game – a 2-11 Texans team up against the division leading 8-5 Colts. Those records don’t take into account that the Colts have been struggling like all get out over the past few weeks, and the Texans nearly stole a game from the Patriots a few weeks ago. So that should be a telling AFC South matchup.

2. Also watch-worthy: Jay Cutler’s return to the Bears against a not-as-bad-as-they-seem Browns team – another “bad” team that almost stole a game from the Patriots.

3. Speaking of the Patriots, this could be the week in which they actually lose the games they seem destined to lose, as has been the case for most of the past month. The Dolphins are still very much in the middle of the AFC scrum for the last wildcard spot and one would think that their play will probably reflect that motivation. However, one should also think that the Patriots are the Patriots…and will probably win by 50 just because everyone thinks that they won’t.

Postseason Prep : How the Postseason Works

We’ve arrived at the final quarter of the NFL regular season. Which means that in less than a month…the postseason will be here! Already!!! The regular season always flies by too quickly.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Just as a frame of reference, here are the various seasons within the NFL year:

August = Preseason (4 games that don’t count)

September – December = Regular Season (16 games that determine if you advance to the postseason)

January – February = Postseason (a single-elimination tournament (playoffs) culminating with the Super Bowl)

February – July = Offseason (a painful, dull time of year in which much ado is made about lots of nothing)

The postseason is the season that happens after the regular season, more commonly known as the time when playoffs and the Super Bowl happen. We all know that the best teams are the ones that play in the Super Bowl, but how do they get there?

It all boils down to what happened in the regular season and how teams stack up against other teams within their division and conference. In the NFL, there are two conferences, the NFC and the AFC. There are four divisions within each conference and four teams in each division (resulting in 32 teams).

Here’s what that looks like:

So the big, overarching entity is the NFL.

Within the NFL there are two conferences, the AFC and the NFC.

Each conference has four divisions (loosely) based on geography: the North, East, South, and West.

Each division has four teams. So the AFC North, for example, consists of the Bengals, Browns, Ravens, and Steelers.

Got it?

Ok, let’s move onto the postseason.

Teams advance into the postseason by the merit of their regular season record. The team with the best regular season record within each division gets an automatic playoff spot. That’s 8 teams. Two additional teams from each conference also advance. These “wildcard” teams are the two teams with the best record among the non-division winners from the whole conference (AFC or NFC). That’s 4 total wildcards teams. In total, that makes 12 teams that advance into the postseason.

It seems fairly cut and dry: win your division or make the wildcard cut, advance to the playoffs. But as we’ve come to expect, it’s not quite that easy.

Sometimes it really is that easy, like in the AFC East. The Patriots usually end the season north of 12 wins. The rest of the division (Bills, Dolphins, Jets) usually end much farther south of 12 wins. They are usually the undisputed victors of the AFC East. But most of the time the race is a little closer. Take the NFC East, for example. The Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants will probably be fighting for first place until the final week of the season. And what happens if two of the teams end up with the same record? What is multiple potential wildcard teams have the same record, too?

That’s where divisional wins come in, and why divisional games (games against the other teams in your division) are so important.

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. That accounts for 6 whole games out of a 16-game schedule (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). If two teams in the same division have the same overall record, the team that has the best divisional record gets the playoff spot.

So let’s stick with the NFC East. The Cowboys have won all 4 of their games against the other teams in the division so far. The Eagles have played 5 divisional games and have a 3-2 in-division record. If the season ended today and the Cowboys and Eagles had the same overall record, the Cowboys would still win the division based on their higher divisional record.

The same goes for wildcard teams. If there are multiple potential wildcard teams with the same record (a likelihood in the AFC this year), the two wildcard teams from the division will be decided by which two teams have the highest divisional record.

Once the division winners and wildcard teams are decided the teams are seeded (ranked) according to their record, 1-6 for each division. The four division winners are ranked 1-4 and the wildcard teams are ranked 5-6.

Are you thoroughly confused yet?

If so, you’ve got a week to review! We’ll continue our postseason prep next week by going over last year’s playoff picture to figure our how the playoffs work. And if you have any questions in the meantime you know where to find me!