Ok, normally, I won't do game reviews on this blog, but due to the overwhelming response from Twitter and Facebook, I will give you my two cents on last night's Packers-Seahawks ending and the Replacement Refs in the NFL..
Unless you live under a rock or you are too busy (I.E. Lame, Un-American) to follow what's going on in the National Football League, the normal referees are on strike, bitching about not being paid enough (NFL owners are assholes) and so the current replacement refs are from Small College divisions, Top High School states, and even that kinda-hot, kinda-shitty Lingerie Football League
That being said, they are missing a shit ton of calls in the first 3 weeks of the season. They aren't used ot the pace of the league and I knew more about the NFL rulebook when I was 6 then most of these Foot Locker employees know now on the field.
Cut to last night's Monday Night Football match-up between the Green Bay Packers (suck) and the Seattle Seahawks (really shitty team). Seattle wins 14-12 on a Hail Mary Pass by Russell Wilson completed to wideout Golden Tate. What comes down as jumpball, the pass is caught by both Tate and Packers Cornerback M.D Jennings, and insanity ensues:
After the game, Millions of Packer fans and Packer bettors and people who think they know football wIn Monday's game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay 24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.
This is the Official Statement From The NFL (anyone who was with me at Wild Tymes last night heard me say the exact same thing damn near word-for-word)
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone. Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.
While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground. This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game. It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.
When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball. Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player. The result of the play was a touchdown.
Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review. The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball. In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable. That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.
Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood. The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.
The result of the game is final.
Applicable rules to the play are as follows:
A player (or players) jumping in the air has not legally gained possession of the ball until he satisfies the elements of a catch listed here.
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3 of the NFL Rule Book defines a catch:
A forward pass is complete (by the offense) or intercepted (by the defense) if a player, who is inbounds:
(a) secures control of the ball in his hands or arms prior to the ball touching the ground; and
(b) touches the ground inbounds with both feet or with any part of his body other than his hands; and
(c) maintains control of the ball long enough, after (a) and (b) have been fulfilled, to enable him to perform any act common to the game (i.e., maintaining control long enough to pitch it, pass it, advance with it, or avoid or ward off an opponent, etc.).
When a player (or players) is going to the ground in the attempt to catch a pass, Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 1 states:
Player Going to the Ground. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent), he must maintain control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or the end zone. If he loses control of the ball, and the ball touches the ground before he regains control, the pass is incomplete. If he regains control prior to the ball touching the ground, the pass is complete.
Rule 8, Section 1, Article 3, Item 5 states:
Simultaneous Catch. If a pass is caught simultaneously by two eligible opponents, and both players retain it, the ball belongs to the passers. It is not a simultaneous catch if a player gains control first and an opponent subsequently gains joint control. If the ball is muffed after simultaneous touching by two such players, all the players of the passing team become eligible to catch the loose ball.ent to the Facebook and the Twitter and said, "That was an interception, what a fucking garbage call, dumb fake refs!"
What the Real Missed call here is Tate Pushing down Green Bay safety Sam Shields, which should have been offensive pass interference, leading to a 15 yard backpedal, which would have probably ended the game 12-7 Packers final.
But the deal is, from the 4 camera angles repeated Ad Nauseam on ESPN, 2 angles show the interference, 2 don't. The regular officials wouldn't have made a difference here. They only have one set of eyes per person and could have missed that call just as well. Instant Replay, you ask? Can't challenge the ruling of a penalty.
So while I agree with everyone about how bad these crackerjack referees are, I don't want to hear anything else about "It was an interception" because it wasn't. If you want to be mad about something, get mad about the Packer O-Line letting Aaron Rodgers lay on his back the whole first half, or the fact that they don't have a decent run game
For the record, I bet the Under in this game. #Winning.
