TD didn't like the officiating from the scrimmage

[TypicalBill]

It may have only been a scrimmage, but Buffalo Bills general manager Tom Donahoe was in mid-season form Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Stadium.

Bad officiating is bad officiating, regardless of whether the competition is a scrimmage, a preseason game, a regular-season game or the Super Bowl.

And it looked like, at least from the aerial view in the press box where Donahoe was seated, that one of the officials made two highly questionable calls on plays that resulted in Cleveland touchdowns.

On Cleveland’s second offensive series, which pitted mostly second-string players against each other, quarterback Kelly Holcomb threw a 20-yard pass into the front left corner of the end zone to Kevin Johnson. Buffalo cornerback Dainon Sidney had good coverage, and while Johnson — the former Syracuse standout — caught the ball, it did not look like he got both feet inbounds. However, up went the official’s arms signaling a touchdown.

On the next Cleveland series, also in the red zone portion, Tim Couch threw a 9-yard pass over the middle to Marc Soumah, who appeared to be stopped just shy of the goal line, but once again a touchdown was signaled, much to Donahoe’s disbelief.

Donahoe left the press box a bit later to watch the rest of the scrimmage from the sidelines, and he ambled over to the official who made both calls and playfully but purposefully jawed at him.

“ I just wanted to let him know, just in case he didn’t get the tape,” Donahoe said with a sly grin.


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[Novacane]

What a suprise.......NFL officials blowing calls.

[LABillsFan]

Dorenbos was a perfect on 7 of 8

[WG]

Indeed FtG!

Since when have the Bills ever gotten a "fair shake" on the whole from the officiating!

I surely can't think of a season where the plusses outnumbered the minuses or didn't cost us the playoffs, a game, or even the division title!

TD's foolin' himself if he thinks that's gonna change. LOL

I suppose better in PS than RS however.

[MDFINFAN]

Originally posted by Fairway To Green
What a suprise.......NFL officials blowing calls.

Now I know you didn't say that, well it can be interpeted as a excuse..and I've been killed with that by you guys about finfans talking about last years losses.

[don137]

I hate people blaming the officials but I do believe two things. One, the better team can usually overcome bad officiating Two, if two teams are equally matched officials really can hurt or help a team and have a big impact on a game. The Jets and Patriots have gotten a lot of calls go there way the past few years. As much as i hate to admit it both of those teams had calls go there way last year against the fins which I believe affected the outcome.

[WG]

Perhaps, 137, but it's not like they impacted games last year re: the Bills v. the Fins. Fins had absolutely no passing game in either contest. They lost the first by 13 in an anemic offensive showing featuring 6 giveaways and a TD given. In the second game we won by 17 in a walkover.

Calls that impact games are like that absolutely bogus PI call on Jones to Coates that gave the Pats the win, literally. As well, I think it was that season that we lost the division and missed the playoffs as a result, or didn't get a home game divisional PO game (don't remember quite) all b/c of that call/game and the other game where the zebras gave Testeverde at TD when he was like a yard+ short on a 4th-ang-goal at the 1.

Those calls change games. It's tough to argue that they changed games when wins are by more than 7. Unless the alleged bad call cost one team a score and gave the other team one instead, all on one play under a bad call. That rarely happens if ever.

[WG]

BTW, I agree w/ you that you need to overcome bad officiating, but the Bills are clearly on the short end of the stick when it comes to officiating breaks.

It's also one thing to make a bad call b/c it was a tough call, but it's completely another when a ref is clearly watching the line and rules a player in when millions of people on national TV can clearly see that his foot was out by 15". It's those refs that the league needs to begin replacing stat! They're the ones that ruin good games.

[Novacane]

Originally posted by MDFINFAN




Now I know you didn't say that, well it can be interpeted as a excuse..and I've been killed with that by you guys about finfans talking about last years losses.

I did not say the officials are out to screw the Bills or use officials as an excuse. All I am saying is they suck....for everyone. Don't you agree?

[WG]

It's certainly tough to ignore that there are issues...

[don137]

I agree completely Wys. The officials did not play a factor in the Bills-Fins games last year and the Bills do usually end up on the short end of the stick. I remeber the KC game last year the Bills got hosed but I believe good teams can overcome those bad calls and since they were mediocre they were not able to overcome them. I still can't say the officials cost them the game. The last time I remember the officials helping the Bills was the comeback game against the Oilers. Beebe stepped out of bounds on a play he scored and in OT I believe it was Talley interferred with the receiver in OT resulting in Jones' interception to set up the winning FG.
The Patriots get the most calls I ever seen. The Jones PI was one of the worst homer calls in recent history. I believe the loss ended up costing the Bills a home game in the playoffs against the fins instead of playing them in Buffalo. The Patriot got calls against the fins and the Bears last year that had a dramatic impact on the outcome yet they still did not make the playoffs...