Do you care about the playoffs?

[Assassin27]

Eagles vs. Jaguars would be two teams still seeking their first Lombardi Trophy at a stadium for another team with no Super Bowl wins.

Eagles, Jax or Minny would be fine with me.

[KansasKrista]

I have been a hardcore NFL fan for over 20 years but, this season I am totally disinterested. Of course the Broncos having a horrible season is the biggest factor in that but, there are other things as well that have made me not really care.

I hate the Patriots and you can pretty much guarantee they will be in the Super Bowl once again. Yawn. I am not watching another SB with the Patriots representing the AFC.. I am done with that. I can't wait until Brady retires... it will be a wonderful day.

I could make a list of why the NFL sucks this year.. it isn't just one thing and the reasons are starting to pile up. The longer that list gets, the less I am interested. I am shocked it has gotten to this point. If a person told me even a few years ago I was would be this bored with the NFL right now, I would have thought they had a few screws loose. It seemed inconceivable, yet here I am totally bored. If it wasn't for my great love of the Broncos I would completely disengage and probably never watch another NFL game.

[broncoslover115]

It did not even clinch a first round bye for the Patriots. All they got from it was a division title. They finish the regular season against the Jets and Bills. Pittsburgh's last two opponents are Houston and Cleveland. There is a real chance, even if very small, the road to Minneapolis does not go through Foxborough.

Do you think the Jaguars can take out New England? Jacksonville defense is #1 in pass, scoring, sacks, takeaways, and touchdowns and #2 overall. Unfortunately, it is not that good against the run. A trip to Foxborough next month (if it happens) would be the first time Jacksonville's elite defense plays against an equally great QB.

I would hope you're right. Just don't see it.

[Denver Scores]

I would hope you're right. Just don't see it.

I am just stating the facts here, not my own opinion. Like everyone else, I have a hard time expecting the AFC Championship Game to be in Pittsburgh. It definitely will not be in Jacksonville.

[broncoslover115]

I am just stating the facts here, not my own opinion. Like everyone else, I have a hard time expecting the AFC Championship Game to be in Pittsburgh. It definitely will not be in Jacksonville.

Totally agree.

[L.M.]

I'll probably always tune in, out of boredom or curiosity if nothing else, but I am increasingly frustrated with bad officiating. I fully expect the Zebras to influence or even decide some outcomes in the playoffs and screw one or more teams over. I'm tired of being disgusted about that, so I guess I have to accept that they just refuse to correct or improve their system and stop caring about the games and the outcomes -divest from it.

I'm also tired of the P*triots. They've been busted twice for cheating scandals and so I always suspect that their perennial success is (at least partially) derived from cutting little corners here and there in order to tip the balance in their favor. No other club -in almost one hundred years of pro football now- has had such a streak, and if something smells rotten it usually is. So naturally I don't want them in the big game - ever again! They don't deserve it. I always root against them in all situations no matter what.

I've been pulling for the Rams for weeks, and though they lost to Minnesota and Philly, they just had a big blowout statement win @SEA which proves they mean business and can play with the big boys! I want fresh faces in the SB, so Rams vs. Jags would be my preference!

[Denver Scores]

I guess you are forgetting or ignoring the fact that only officials who graded high throughout the season work at the playoffs. Sure, they make mistakes, but one thing I noticed in January was they don't call nearly as many penalties as we are used to watching in regular season games.

[L.M.]

I guess you are forgetting or ignoring the fact that only officials who graded high throughout the season work at the playoffs. Sure, they make mistakes, but one thing I noticed in January was they don't call nearly as many penalties as we are used to watching in regular season games.

Excuse you? I'm not forgetting or "ignoring" anything! I've been watching this sport for forty years -how about you? Spare me the misplaced idealism about the friggin' refs!

We've had threads here discussing the problem of officiating, specifically in the playoffs -the "let the players play" nonsense of zebras ignoring some penalties (when it suits them) while calling others, and this is not even, nor held to any kind of a common standard, they are left to individual judgement calls which is what causes most regular season errors in the first place! Also the players are held to one set of rules in the regular season and to another very nebulous set of rules in the playoffs, like suddenly pass interference is okay, maybe, though some officials or crews will still call it. SMH It's a mess, as officiating in general is a mess.

And yes teams still most certainly get jobbed in the playoffs and have for some time. While the Broncos definitely made some critical mistakes in that Ravens playoff game five years ago, there were at least six calls/non-calls which were also massive game changers, and we would have won anyway despite our other mistakes if even two of those had been called correctly. We had a thread here on that, illustrating each in graphic detail.

[ELWAY421]

Excuse you? I'm not forgetting or "ignoring" anything! I've been watching this sport for forty years -how about you? Spare me the misplaced idealism about the friggin' refs!

We've had threads here discussing the problem of officiating, specifically in the playoffs -the "let the players play" nonsense of zebras ignoring some penalties (when it suits them) while calling others, and this is not even, nor held to any kind of a common standard, they are left to individual judgement calls which is what causes most regular season errors in the first place! Also the players are held to one set of rules in the regular season and to another very nebulous set of rules in the playoffs, like suddenly pass interference is okay, maybe, though some officials or crews will still call it. SMH It's a mess, as officiating in general is a mess.

And yes teams still most certainly get jobbed in the playoffs and have for some time. While the Broncos definitely made some critical mistakes in that Ravens playoff game five years ago, there were at least six calls/non-calls which were also massive game changers, and we would have won anyway despite our other mistakes if even two of those had been called correctly. We had a thread here on that, illustrating each in graphic detail.

The officiating is the worst I've ever seen it. I haven't watched a game all season where there hasn't been bad calls/missed calls. With modern day technology you'd figure it'd be trending in the right direction, but it isn't.