ForceEight

Marketability is not relevant to television pull. The sheer size of the Chicago and Philly markets, along with the markets they bring with them (e.g. via rivalries) is leaps and bounds ahead of what a Ravens/Patriots game pulls. The Chicago television market is #3 in the country in size. Philly is #4. Meanwhile, Boston is #7, and Baltimore is #27. Bear in mind, as well, the regions in surrounding areas that boost this total for each market (Philly and Boston get the most boost here). Therefore, just simply by the numbers, the Bears/Eagles game makes more sense in primetime. That's before you factor in that the playoff picture for those teams is more interesting than ours, that the Bears (who are also 7-6, yeah) have that record with a backup quarterback whose starter might be finally starting during this game. Aside from homerism and/or the unfounded sentiment that the defending champions have the right to be on primetime when they choose, there is no argument for our game staying on primetime.

Those of you who think that Ravens/Patriots is a bigger draw than Chicago/Philly are being silly. Both Chicago and Philly are bigger markets than Boston and Baltimore, and their game appears to mean more to the playoff picture anyway. Need I remind you that we are 7-6?

You guys and your lack of taste in crappy movies.

Thing is, that's already a rule. The referees were simply too incompetent and/or couldn't see through the money the Steelers were handing them to throw that flag.

More time with Kyle Boller and he'd have had it down.

That article is a joke. How is what a "team source" of the Steelers thinks about precedent at all relevant? Why would he include that? It's because he's pulling straws. I sincerely doubt that the reason they're waiting on draft picks is because of the four points. They're waiting because it's too broad a scale to determine what draft pick (e.g. round) best suits the punishment based on whatever they've assigned to it. If that ends up meaning none at all, then so be it, but Jacoby not scoring on the play is not relevant to that decision.

I don't think Matusz will ever be a set up man. He's a good left-handed innings-eating arm.

You know me too well.

For good reason I would assume. Good job catching it!

How has Jingle All the Way not been mentioned yet?

Oh man that's great haha. I think you may have gotten meaner.

What about Norris as the closer? He has a very good fastball, and it's not even his out pitch. He has trouble going six innings as a starter anyway, so what's the harm?

Four wins. Come on guys, look at those opponents. THE LIONS AND BENGALS, we're talking about here. Chin up. We're running the table.

I don't think that intent should be applied to calls. I think you're going into an extremely gray zone there that we don't want any part of. What I think needs to happen is pretty simple. Use Belichick's idea of the ability to challenge any play or situation (with the normal challenge rules otherwise in place). Second, make all refereeing positions full-time only (the fact that this has yet to happen is mind boggling) so that they are held accountable year-round to keep up with changes. Third and finally, don't let the referees know how the league has scored them more than once or twice per season (as opposed to after every game). The penalties that need adjusting are the pass interference, in my opinion, which should be 15 yards, and it should be reviewable. And I think automatic first down penalties should also be completely removed; at most, an offense should be able to take the yards and repeat the down.

I love it. It's just a shame that I don't care nearly enough about either of those teams to make it a point to be up at that time. But if it were a game I cared about, I would be pumped for this.

I think carting away $10 million in salary they weren't interested in paying is what was up their sleeve. It doesn't cost that much to get a guy with an 89% save percentage over two seasons, regardless of how many saves he had.

i think that kind of speaks to Papa's point. Defense is extremely important (e.g. a balanced team), but you can't go in with a superb defense and nothing else anymore and expect to win. We did that, Tampa did that, etc. Defense doesn't win championships. It only helps win them.

I feel like you've got the wrong guy as it relates to Boller.

Happy birthday man! Pointers on turning 40? Just don't do it!

My favorite quote about this whole thing is from Harbaugh: "I'm just wondering, did they credit him with the tackle?"

All in all, that was one of the worst weeks of NFL officiating yet, and I don't see how something drastic doesn't happen (e.g. full-time refs) over the offseason.

Agrred with Crav that AP isn't the focal point. We should expect him to run all over the place; the idea is simply to not let him and their rushing offense control the pace of the game. Flacco and our offense is where the entire fate of the game lies. Also, at least talent-wise, Freeman is better than both of the other options. Thankfully, none of them are scary at all.

The reason that I don't think your argument is valid is because that white-marked territory is for the officials only, which means that if an official is looking onto the field while running, he should see NO ONE but players in front of him. Under no circumstance should he have seen a coach or anyone not in a jersey between him and the field. More importantly, I am sure that the official knew Tomlin was there simply because the official himself was forced off the white official's path and onto the green, where Tomlin was supposed to have been. I am sure that the official knew where he was. Even if neither of those points registered in the official's head during the course of the play, it would have taken no more than a second or two after the play was over for him to realize what had happened. The only valid explanation is that he and/or the head referee was too afraid to throw the flag.

He was good early (had one TFL), but he wasn't anywhere to be found later in the game as Geno was busy throwing it away.

*** I'm stupid for thinking this game is easy ***