NFL Quietly Admits Missed Calls Helped Patriots

[Michael82]

The competition committee is expected to take a look at officials becoming flag-shy in the postseason. Judging by the defensive game plans of New England's Bill Belichick and Carolina's John Fox in the AFC and NFC championship games, coaches obviously are anticipating officials allowing more physical play in the playoffs. After the fact, the league office quietly admitted that Walt Coleman's crew missed six calls against the Patriots in the AFC championship game, including a defensive holding on third down with 1:51 remaining in the game, and a pass interference on the subsequent fourth down. The Patriots led 21-14 at the time. The victim on both non-calls was Colts TE Marcus Pollard. Officials also admit holding by Patriots G Joe Andruzzi on Colts DE Robert Mathis was missed on a fourth-and-9 that the Patriots converted in the second quarter. The Patriots ended the drive with a field goal for a 13-0 lead.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=insidedishofficialssilen&prov=tsn&type=lgns

[Michael82]

defensive holding? 10 yard penalty and automatic FIRST DOWN! The Pass interference is even worse and would have helped the Colts even more. :eek:

:shakeno:

[Billsouth]

the officiating sucked this year. i can honestly say that the officiating was WORSE than gregg williams coaching.

[helmetguy]

Originally posted by Billsouth
the officiating sucked this year. i can honestly say that the officiating was WORSE than gregg williams coaching.

I'd call it a draw!

[Cntrygal]

Every year it gets worse.

:mad:

[OpIv37]

Is anyone surprised by this? The officiating has been horrible all over the league the last few years. This article confirms it- I thought I only perceived the Patriots as being constant beneficiaries of bad calls because I hate them so much, but apparently it's the truth.

I hope carolina pounds the crap out of them next week.

[Cntrygal]

Originally posted by OpIv37
Is anyone surprised by this? The officiating has been horrible all over the league the last few years. This article confirms it- I thought I only perceived the Patriots as being constant beneficiaries of bad calls because I hate them so much, but apparently it's the truth.

I hope carolina pounds the crap out of them next week.

no kidding.... I'd like to see a shut out.

[caveboy]

What I've I noticed also is that league-wide, the same penalty more often than not, is called differently. I've seen cases where a qb is hit well after the fact in one game and no flag, and a different game where the QB is 'grazed' ever-so slightly and it's an automatic 1st-down. That's b.s.

How hard is it for these guys to spot an obvious late hit? There's enough refs to watch pretty much the entire field –they all have their particular areas they cover. So why can't they be consistant? Golic on ESPN said after the NE game last week, that there's holding on every play both ways and coaches adjust to how the game is called. Even Ty Law said afterward that they were trying to get away with as much they could. (Figures, they couldn't play a game straight up anyway without mugging WRs.)

I'm not talking about the fouls away from the ball, just the obvious ones. The refs need to set the tone for this NE game from the get go. First bump by a NE corner should get flagged.

By the way, Mr. Peppers, meet Tom Brady. Sorry about that hit Tom.

;-p

[Cntrygal]

Originally posted by caveboy
What I've I noticed also is that league-wide, the same penalty more often than not, is called differently. I've seen cases where a qb is hit well after the fact in one game and no flag, and a different game where the QB is 'grazed' ever-so slightly and it's an automatic 1st-down. That's b.s.

How hard is it for these guys to spot an obvious late hit? There's enough refs to watch pretty much the entire field –they all have their particular areas they cover. So why can't they be consistant?


Great post!

[SABURZFAN]

Originally posted by Billsouth
the officiating sucked this year. i can honestly say that the officiating was WORSE than gregg williams coaching.

that's a pick'em.

[mybills]

To hear a Pats fan sitting two bar stools down from you admit that they got lucky, says it all!

[Pride]

My HS coach always said... if you aren't cheating, you arent trying hard enough.

Of course, when we got flagged we got in trouble too

[don137]

I believe Carolina and NE did get the benefit of the calls in their championship games. That is not to say that both didn't deserve to win. I am very disappointed in the officiating. I just hope we don't see the same article about the Super Bowl. It truly takes away from the game when there is such bad officiating.

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by mybills
To hear a Pats fan sitting two bar stools down from you admit that they got lucky, says it all!

They should still be greatful they got to/won the SB 2 years ago when they "beat" oakland cuz of that tuck rule.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Everyone knows that the Pats and Packers get every freaking call.

[Dozerdog]

The same could be said about the Bills in their SB years.


Look at the comeback game against the Oilers in the playoffs in 1993. The Bills were beneficiaries of such blatantly wrong officiating in their favor it bordered on the ridiculous.


A TD where Beebe ran out of bounds and back on the field, the blatant holding/ interference committed by Talley on the game winning interception in OT- and there were plenty more.

I always thought and still do think that getting all those calls tipped the "karma balance" against the Bills. Ever since that game, crap like the Music City Miracle, Reed getrting tossed in the playoffs vs Miami, and other bad games have gone against the Bills rather than for them.

[socalfan]

I think there are way too many rules.....they ought to roll back some of this stuff and just let them play 1960's football.

[Jared]

Dozerdog: Remember an infamous "roughing the passer" call on Sugar Bear Hamilton which effectively GAVE the Raiders the AFC championship in 84? Well the tuck rule being called correctly makes up for it.

So essentially I agree with you, it all evens out in the end.