Quote:
|
Originally Posted by djtestudo
The phantom offensive pass interference call at the beginning of the game.
The holding call that called back the touchdown (and had Madden and Michaels confused as hell as to how it was called).
The Roethlisberger touchdown (inconclusive, and I know why it was not overturned, but at full speed you have to be completely incompetant to call that a touchdown if you are the line judge).
The "blocking below the waist call on Hasselback after the interception (apparently the guy with the ball counts as a blocker who cannot be tackled now). This was probably the most blatent one, as well as the most important one as it led directly to the trick-play TD which put the game out of reach.
There are four critical calls that affected the game.
|
1. Like I said, the PI in the endzone was a legit call. People can argue it till they're blue in the face, but you can see the defender actually hop backwards because of the pushoff. It wasn't just a touch foul like some people think. And even if it was ticky tack like other people say, it doesn't matter. It was a legit call by the ref. You can't prevent a player from having a play on the ball and that's what Jackson did by pushing off.
2. While I agree the holding call was definitely questionable. Regardless, it's "woulda, coulda, shoulda" as to what would have happened if the foul was not called. They could have scored a TD, they could have got a field goal or they could have got nothing. That's like in the Indy/Pitt game when the game was all but over, and Pitt is on the 1 yd. line about to score, and Bettis fumbles the ball. The almost near impossible happened on that play that almost gave Indy the game.
3. Ben R.'s touchdown. I know it was a close call and at full speed it is questionable. But after I have watched it several times, the ref made the right call. The ball in the crook of Ben's grasp just makes it over the front edge of the line. That's why I was asking for clarification on that rule in my first post. I can see it plain as day.
4. The Matt H. interception..... hmmmm, the fact that he threw the interception doesn't have anything to do with it? the penalty after the fact is moot. It could have gone either way after that. I suppose the 13 yds that Pitt had gained on the 3 plays after the interception had nothing to do with it? Maybe if Seattle didn't have those key injuries I mentioned, they might have been able to stop the momentum of Pitt and forced a punt. Even Holmgren admitted later that he was so angry he couldn't concentrate. Seattle lost momentum anyways after that interception. You cannot say that the low blocking penalty would have changed the outcome. If it didn't happen, Pittsburgh might have scored, or they might not have. But it seems like no one wants to give credit to that series. Pittsburgh worked Seattle after that Interception call.
Like I said, anything other than those two calls I mentioned in my previous post is nothing but "coulda, shoulda, woulda". And the only thing you can do is speculate on what MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. I mean, this is just as silly as Joey Porter claiming that everyone wanted Indy to win their game. All it is, is silly conspiracy theories. There were horrible calls in the Indy/Pitt game and Pitt prevailed. There were horrible calls in this game and Seattle had the chance to at least stay in the game if not win it, if they had been able to do things differently. Sorry for Seattle but they blew it when it counted.