NFL 2008

2008 NFL season
The new NFL logo used this season.
Regular season
season	September 4, 2008 - December 28, 2008
Play-offs
date	January 3, 2009
AFC champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC champions	Arizona Cardinals
Super Bowl XLIII
date	February 1, 2009
Venue	Raymond James Stadium , Tampa , Florida
NFL Champion	Pittsburgh Steelers
Pro Bowl
date	February 8, 2009
Venue	Aloha Stadium , Honolulu , Hawaii
NFL season  <2007 2009>

The 2008 NFL season was the 89th season of American football in the National Football League (NFL). The regular season began on September 4th and ended on December 28th, 2008. Since this season the NFL has presented itself with its new logo.

Rule changes

In the run-up to this season, the following rule changes were announced:

• In addition to the quarterback , a defender can now also wear a headset to speak to the coaching staff.
• The "Force Out" rule has been changed. From now on the player must land with both feet in the field when catching the ball. If the player is pushed out of the field in the air, the catch is also correct.
• The 5-yard penalty for accidentally pulling the face shield has been abolished. Deliberately pulling is now a 15 yard penalty.
• The team that wins the coin toss at the start of the game can now impose the decision on the opposing team.
• If the ball hits the bar at a field goal, the coach can now request video evidence.
• If a player extends his hands through the legs of the center, this player does not have to be the recipient of the snap. It's not a false start, it's a fumble.

Regular season

The season opening game, the "Kickoff", took place on September 4th. Defending champion New York Giants beat division rivals Washington Redskins 16: 7. On the first day of the season, quarterback Tom Brady suffered a knee injury and was out for the rest of the season, his New England Patriots just missed the final round 11-5.

The Detroit Lions set a negative record. With their 0:16 record, they were the first team to remain without a win since the regular season was extended to 16 games in 1978.

AFC East team S. N U SQ P + P- Miami Dolphins 11 5 0 .688 345 317 New England Patriots 11 5 0 .688 410 309 New York Jets 9 7th 0 .563 405 356 Buffalo Bills 7th 9 0 .438 336 342 AFC North team S. N U SQ P + P- Pittsburgh Steelers 12 4th 0 .750 347 223 Baltimore Ravens 11 5 0 .688 385 244 Cincinnati Bengals 4th 11 1 .281 204 364 Cleveland Browns 4th 12 0 .250 232 350 AFC South team S. N U SQ P + P- Tennessee Titans 13 3 0 .813 375 234 Indianapolis Colts 12 4th 0 .750 377 298 Houston Texans 8th 8th 0 .500 366 394 Jacksonville Jaguars 5 11 0 .313 302 367 AFC West team S. N U SQ P + P- San Diego Chargers 8th 8th 0 .500 439 347 Denver Broncos 8th 8th 0 .500 370 448 Oakland Raiders 5 11 0 .313 263 388 Kansas City Chiefs 2 14th 0 .125 291 440

NFC East team S. N U SQ P + P- New York Giants 12 4th 0 .750 427 294 Philadelphia Eagles 9 6th 1 .594 416 289 Dallas Cowboys 9 7th 0 .563 362 365 Washington Redskins 8th 8th 0 .500 265 296 NFC North team S. N U SQ P + P- Minnesota Vikings 10 6th 0 .625 379 333 Chicago Bears 9 7th 0 .563 375 350 Green Bay Packers 6th 10 0 .375 419 380 Detroit Lions 0 16 0 .000 268 517 NFC South team S. N U SQ P + P- Carolina Panthers 12 4th 0 .750 414 329 Atlanta Falcons 11 5 0 .688 391 325 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9 7th 0 .563 361 323 New Orleans Saints 8th 8th 0 .500 463 393 NFC West team S. N U SQ P + P- Arizona Cardinals 9 7th 0 .563 427 426 San Francisco 49ers 7th 9 0 .438 339 381 Seattle Seahawks 4th 12 0 .250 294 392 St. Louis Rams 2 14th 0 .125 232 465

Legend:

S iege	N iederlagen	U nentschieden	SQ games won (relative)
P + points made	P- opposing points	Playoff participant

Tiebreaker

• NY Giants took NFC first place by winning a direct comparison with Carolina
• Miami ahead of New England in the AFC East due to better conference record (8: 4 against New England 7: 5).
• San Diego ahead of Denver in AFC West due to a better division record (5: 1 to Denver 3: 3).
• Baltimore got 6th place in the AFC due to a better conference record (8: 4 to New England 7: 5).

Play-offs

Wild Card Round

Divisional Round

Conference Championships

Super bowl

January 3 - University of Phoenix Stadium

January 10 - Bank of America Stadium

2

Carolina

13

4th

Arizona

30th

January 18 - University of Phoenix Stadium

4th

Arizona

33

5

Atlanta

24

January 11th - Giants Stadium

4th

Arizona

32

NFC

6th

Philadelphia

25th

January 4th - Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

NFC Championship

1

NY Giants

11

3

Minnesota

14th

February 1 - Raymond James Stadium

6th

Philadelphia

23

6th

Philadelphia

26th

January 11th - Heinz Field

January 3 - Qualcomm Stadium

N4

Arizona

23

A2

Pittsburgh

27

Super Bowl XLIII

2

Pittsburgh

35

4th

San Diego

23 *

January 18 - Heinz Field

4th

San Diego

24

5

Indianapolis

17th

January 10 - LP Field

2

Pittsburgh

23

AFC

6th

Baltimore

14th

January 4th - Dolphins Stadium

AFC Championship

1

Tennessee

10

3

Miami

9

6th

Baltimore

13

6th

Baltimore

27

• The team with the lower seeding number has home rights and is named here first, in contrast to the practice in the USA where the visiting team is named first.
• (*) after extension

Super Bowl XLIII

See also main article: Super Bowl XLIII

Super Bowl XLIII was the 43rd edition of the Super Bowl and took place on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa , Florida . The AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers met the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals . The favored Steelers could just win the duel with 27:23 and thus hold the record for most Super Bowl titles.

	1	2	3	4th	total
Arizona Cardinals	0	7th	0	16	23
Pittsburgh Steelers	3	14th	3	7th	27

Awards

Most Valuable Player	Peyton Manning , quarterback , Indianapolis Colts
Coach of the Year	Mike Smith , Atlanta Falcons
Offensive Player of the Year	Drew Brees , quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Defensive Player of the Year	James Harrison , linebacker , Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Matt Ryan , quarterback, Atlanta Falcons
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Jerod Mayo , linebacker, New England Patriots
Comeback Player of the Year	Chad Pennington , quarterback, Miami Dolphins
Walter Payton Man of the Year	Kurt Warner , quarterback, Arizona Cardinals

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ben Austro: So You Think You Know Football ?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules . Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, ISBN 978-1-63076-044-1 , pp. 52 .