Aaaand it only takes two Wild Card games to get a completely out of control mess!!!

One of the things I've said about this playoff series is that I believe Roger Goodell's mantra for this will be:  WHAT WILL YOUR TEAM DO TO WIN THE GOLDEN SUPER BOWL???

Well, Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati, a Cliffhanger, gave us FIVE large-scale incidents to this end.

• Taken from Deadspin's Screengrabber website, this was from 1:25 to go in the first quarter.  It is exactly what you think it is:  Pittsburgh offensive line coach Mike Munchak is yanking the dreads of Cincinnati's Reggie Nelson.  Munchak, who was penalized but not removed from the sideline, felt Nelson had cheapshotted one of his players.

• Here's one for the conspiracy-minded:  Five minutes to go in the third quarter.  Again, since it's from the NFL's YouTube account, I can only link it, I cannot embed it here.  They called THIS a catch and a touchdown for Martavis Bryant.

Seriously.

He had no control of the ball on any complete manner, was out of bounds before he could make any "football move", and could not become a runner because the ball was somewhere between his ass and between his legs!

But that's a touchdown for Pittsburgh.  RIGHT....

Look, NFL, I get it.  If Peyton Manning is going to get a ring on the way out (which appears to be the plan!), you can't have him and the Broncos playing the Chiefs, who've now won 11 in a row to go from 1-5 to a date in New England next weekend.

• Less than two minutes to go in the third quarter, Cincinnati being shut out 15-0.  Then this, from Deadspin, happens...  A hit so blatant that the announcers of the game are called "brain-damage apologists"....

I wish I could embed Deadspin videos, because they basically do this one the best of anything I will probably be able to find.  Watch the second video, the slo-mo of the hit, where the defensive player (Pittsburgh's Ryan Shazier) knocks out Giovanni Bernard of Cincinnati with a clear cheap shot to the helmet and visor.

"The NFL, as you know it, cannot be made safer."

There was no penalty on the play.

• Now, to the end of the game.  Cincinnati, enraged by the helmet shot noted above, scores 16 unanswered in the fourth quarter to take a 16-15 lead.  Pittsburgh has the ball at about midfield with 20 seconds left and no time outs.  Then THIS happens...

First, from Screengrabber, Vontaze Burfict, after an incomplete pass, tries to take Antonio Brown's head clean off...



Shoulder to the head, 15 yards.

A hit so blatant that, when Burfict refused to give reporters any more than cursory answers, Deion Sanders of the NFL Network said Burfict's actions on the field meant he owed the media answers.  (Deadspin)

It almost makes me think that what Sanders is really asking is to whether Burfict actually was trying to ensure Pittsburgh won.  *cough!*

But that wasn't the only problem near the end of the game...

• Pacman Jones strikes again.  ON THE SAME PLAY:  Jones was assessed an additional 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.  Chip field goal wins it for Pittsburgh, and Jones was PISSED.  He can expect a major fine for this tirade, which he has since taken down but was captured for posterity by Deadspin.

Do you STILL want to believe?

Cincinnati wins that game, Denver and Manning play Kansas City, the hottest team in the NFL.  (And easier fall guys now (if they beat New England for their 12th in a row) for Manning and Denver after Denver beats a banged-up Pittsburgh team.)