2013 NFL Football

[iacas]

Does it make it right?  Are we happy that great players are carted off the field because defensive players go low and offensive lineman cut block?  Was it legal?  Yes under the current rules.  Is it dirty?  Definitely. I'm just saying that it was not necessary and the intention was to disable the player not to make the tackle.

Scott, seriously, you're clearly looking at this through Patriots colored glasses now.

Was it RIGHT? The guy was doing his job and made a legal hit. So yes, it's right.

Nobody's happy but injuries are part of football. It's a contact sport.

P.S. Just saw the video of the "pass interference" call. On exactly zero planets is that pass interference. The Yahoo headline is right - that was a terrible call.

[Slice of Life]

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[phan52]

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Not even close to legit PI. Terrible call.

[purple drank]

Sure I could bitch about many questionable calls on Seattle yesterday...and Boldin hitting and pushing a ref and nothing happens(wow) but we aren't getting thos2 calls on the road..sad but true. The season must go on. We can wrap up the #1 seed next week. Go Hawks!!!

[newtogolf]

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It's a questionable call, BUT from the ref's position it could have appeared that the DB wrapped his arms around the receiver to impede his progress which could be considered defensive holding.  Another ref should have had a better view from the other side and after a discussion they should have picked up the flag.

[jamo]

It's a questionable call, BUT from the ref's position it could have appeared that the DB wrapped his arms around the receiver to impede his progress which could be considered defensive holding.  Another ref should have had a better view from the other side and after a discussion they should have picked up the flag.

You could sell me on defensive holding at the 10 yard line more than pass interference in the end zone.

[phan52]

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Imporessive diigital enhancement by FOX, BTW, with visible yardage markers.

[newtogolf]

You could sell me on defensive holding at the 10 yard line more than pass interference in the end zone.

Exactly, that's what I was referring to.

[Golfingdad]

Does it make it right?  Are we happy that great players are carted off the field because defensive players go low and offensive lineman cut block?  Was it legal?  Yes under the current rules.  Is it dirty?  Definitely. I'm just saying that it was not necessary and the intention was to disable the player not to make the tackle.

Diasgree.  It wasn't anywhere in the vicinity of "dirty" unless the new definition of dirty is "tackling."  It is EXPLICITLY against the rules to try and tackle players too high.  You hit a guy in the head, or with your head, and you risk a flag.  It only LOOKS dirty to you because ...

There was no way the DB would have known Gronks leg would be planted, a split second sooner or later and it's not a major injury.

As for it being right or wrong, the DB's job is to stop the runner, he has to make the play and going low was the best way given his size to stop Gronk.  You're talking about guys moving at full speed trying to time a tackle, it's not easy and mistakes do happen.

Unless you have proof that he was trying to injure Gronk, it's just a freak accident that's part of the game.

Bingo.  How many times per game ... EVERY FOOTBALL GAME AT EVERY LEVEL ... do you see guys get tackled low and flipped head over heels?  There is nothing wrong with it, and there shouldn't be, unless you want to go back and say players careers are more important than their lives and let them start hitting high again.  It simply looked bad because the timing was bad (right when he planted his foot).

And I agree with everybody else regarding that pass interference call.  That was a joke.  (Well, I don't agree with @iacas because he can't prove to me that they don't call PI a little more strictly on Uranus )  And you should now just count your lucky stars and accept that the football gods have paid you back for the call/non-call against the Panthers a few weeks back.

[Slice of Life]

You could sell me on defensive holding at the 10 yard line more than pass interference in the end zone.

Even then, look at the contact...the receiver extends his arm to push off, making the DBs play legal. How there was a PI flag thrown in the endzone...I have no idea. Ridiculous call that just handed the Patriots the game.

[newtogolf]

Even then, look at the contact...the receiver extends his arm to push off, making the DBs play legal. How there was a PI flag thrown in the endzone...I have no idea. Ridiculous call that just handed the Patriots the game.

Definitely wasn't PI, defensive holding at best but even that would have been questionable.  I don't think many officials understand the PI rule.  It's like fouls in the NBA, there isn't much consistency to what gets called and what doesn't.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Even then, look at the contact...the receiver extends his arm to push off, making the DBs play legal. How there was a PI flag thrown in the endzone...I have no idea. Ridiculous call that just handed the Patriots the game.

Definitely wasn't PI, defensive holding at best but even that would have been questionable.  I don't think many officials understand the PI rule.  It's like fouls in the NBA, there isn't much consistency to what gets called and what doesn't.

That is why I feel that pass interference should be a real time booth reviewable penalty (not by coaches challenge).  If there is any question in the mind of the booth official as he watches the replay, he can call down to stop play just long enough for him to examine it.  There have been far too many bad calls or non calls on pass interference, and it is too much of a game changing penalty for them not to take every opportunity to get it right.  That doesn't mean that judgement will be taken out of the equation, or that they will still be 100% perfect, but they would improve their percentages exponentially.

[phan52]

Definitely wasn't PI, defensive holding at best but even that would have been questionable.  I don't think many officials understand the PI rule.  It's like fouls in the NBA, there isn't much consistency to what gets called and what doesn't.

Since refs, like everybody else, look at PI in a very subjective way, maybe they should make it less penal and make it a 15 yard penalty like they do in college. When they call PI in the end zone now it is just handing the offensive team a TD, and they don't get it right enough for that to be the consequence.

[iacas]

Since refs, like everybody else, look at PI in a very subjective way, maybe they should make it less penal and make it a 15 yard penalty like they do in college. When they call PI in the end zone now it is just handing the offensive team a TD, and they don't get it right enough for that to be the consequence.

I think we already had that discussion, and several valid reasons for not doing that were raised.

[Golfingdad]

That is why I feel that pass interference should be a real time booth reviewable penalty (not by coaches challenge).  If there is any question in the mind of the booth official as he watches the replay, he can call down to stop play just long enough for him to examine it.  There have been far too many bad calls or non calls on pass interference, and it is too much of a game changing penalty for them not to take every opportunity to get it right.  That doesn't mean that judgement will be taken out of the equation, or that they will still be 100% perfect, but they would improve their percentages exponentially.

Yeah, every once in awhile there is a penalty call that is so egregious you just wish they'd have a chance to review it.  If they're all about "getting it right" then it stands to reason that penalties that are capable of changing the outcome of games, like PI calls on long passes, should be reviewable just as play outcomes that will swing the game one way or another are also reviewable.

However, I think opening up penalties to replay is just too big of a can of worms.  Consider that the burden of proof required to overturn a call would probably be the same on penalties as it is on regular calls now.  Even one as bad as the one we're discussing involved some contact.  When you start analyzing contact in slow motion on hi-def, how are you going to define what is and what isn't pass interference?  There was contact, and like @jamo pointed out, an argument for holding at the 5 yard line could have been made (however, I think the difference between holding and PI is the location of the ball.  If the QB still has it, it's holding, and if its in the air, its PI ... when they were at the 5 yard line, certainly the ball was already on its way) therefore, even though the contact was too slight for most of us to believe a call should have been made, theres no way a review official is going to overturn something like that.  He has no justification.

[GangGreen]

Personally, I'm perfectly OK with leaving more penalty calls at the refs discretion on the field as long as they are calling it consistently within the game. If they're going to let the players play, I'm fine with it as long as they are letting it go both ways. Having said that, the one call that I've NEVER been able to figure out is the roughing the passer call...seems like if your last name is Manning or Brady you get the benifit of that call if the pass rusher is in the same zip code, while guys like VIck had to be carted off the field before it was even considered...but hey I'm not biased or anything...haha.

[purple drank]

[CENTER][/CENTER] Spot fouls kind of do suck with PI unless the ball was in the vicinity and catchable, the thing is now refs are saying incidental contact is PI where as in the past it wasn't called. The 5 yard anything goes but holding rule still applies from the LOS but now refs are calling bump coverage at the loi when the ball is not in the air is a flag. Yesterday's Seahawk-Niner game was a prime example but that will happen on the road....nothing to lose sleep over though...especially with a 2 game lead and 3 to play....just kind of sucks they can t seem to call a consistent game.

[phan52]

Personally, I'm perfectly OK with leaving more penalty calls at the refs discretion on the field as long as they are calling it consistently within the game. If they're going to let the players play, I'm fine with it as long as they are letting it go both ways. Having said that, the one call that I've NEVER been able to figure out is the roughing the passer call...seems like if your last name is Manning or Brady you get the benifit of that call if the pass rusher is in the same zip code, while guys like VIck had to be carted off the field before it was even considered...but hey I'm not biased or anything...haha.

Foles got a very favorable call yesterday on a roughing the passer call. I would have never called that, but I'll take it.

I guess it depends on what color your laundry is.