Okay, those three plays from the Super Bowl....

[OverAndBack]

From this morning's Chicago Sun-Times (with my comments in italics):

Iffy officiating

February 6, 2006

The Seahawks were on the wrong end of most of the key calls Sunday. Here's a look at three that hurt Seattle most:

Score: 0-0.
Quarter: First.
Possession: Seahawks.

Situation: First-and-10 on Steelers' 16.

Call: After Matt Hasselbeck hits Darrell Jackson for an apparent touchdown, Jackson is called for pass interference. The Seahawks settle for a field goal.

Comment: The contact made you'll see on most passing plays in the NFL.

Okay, look at this sequence:



I don't think there's any question he got separation from the push. Look at the difference in where the defender's feet are in photo #2 versus photo #3. And that was right before the ball arrived (photo #4). And the brief (and I think negligible) contact by the defender just inside the goal line was before the pass was thrown, so if it was a call, it couldn't have been pass interference. I'm thinking the Back Judge either didn't see it or saw it and thought it was negligible. VIDEO CLIP

Score: Seahawks, 3-0.
Quarter: Second.
Possession: Steelers.

Situation: Third-and-one on Seahawks' 1.
Call: Ben Roethlisberger goes around the left side and dives for the goal line. The official on the line hesitates, then signals for a touchdown. Referee Bill Leavy upholds the call on replay.

Comment: The call on the field could have gone either way, and there was no conclusive evidence to overturn it, but what was with the hesitation?

I've looked at this over and over and then over some more. Here's a sequence:



In photo #2, the ball might be touching the inside plane of the goal line. Having looked at it over and over, I think that's the best still.

I think the key is that Roethlisberger gets hit and goes straight down and the ball isn't in when he lands. I don't think it hit the line and if it did, it was barely (which is, by rule, enough). But the Head Linesman first signals the play down and only signals touchdown well after Roethlisberger is down for a second or more. I agree the replay wasn't enough to overturn. And I don't think it would have been enough to overturn if the HL had called it down an inch away. VIDEO CLIP

Score: Steelers, 14-10.
Quarter: Fourth.
Possession: Seahawks.

Situation: First-and-10 on Steelers' 19.
Call: Hasselbeck connects with Jerramy Stevens at the Steelers' 1, but holding is called on right tackle Sean Locklear. Three plays later, Hasselbeck throws an interception that leads to a Steelers touchdown.

Comment: The apparent holding you'll see on most passing plays in the NFL.

Can't agree. I think it's a legit hold. You can actually see it better on the regular shot than you can on the replay, but I think the circled still on the replay shows #75's arm hooking the defender's arm. VIDEO CLIP



I think calls 1 and 3 are spot-on and that Leavy couldn't overturn #2 no matter how it was called based on the replays. The real controversy about the Roethlisberger call, to me, is the delay and the arm raised as if the HL was going to spot the ball.

[BigGref]

wow Over and back, great post. you not only give your opinion and that of others you bring pictures. I only wish there was a clearer shot on the Big Ben TD or not play. It was hillarious this morning watching Cold Pizza guys, One was 100% sure after seeing the replays that Ben crossed the Goal line. the other 100% sure he stopped him 3 inches short. Its amazing that these brilliant sportscasters who are always so knowledgable and unbiased can disagree so adamently. You know this was a dam close call, the HL even had to think a whole extra 2.3 seconds (slow old guy). But I think we can all agree that the best angle was between the ears of the HL, whose replay wasn't hazy, or judgement clouded. personally I thought he was in, but 2 inches short would have just padded Bettis's Stats even more.

[BigGref]

PS if you didn't know most of the above comments were meant to be read in a facetious tone. (don't worry I spellchecked it!)

[cowbyfan1]

The one call I was most dissapointed in was the "block below the waist" on Hassleback when he was making the tackle in the INT return.
I had no problem with the off interference and the hold and my opinion on the td is on the other thread. There was a comment about an OOB play for Seattle instead of a TD and it not being reviewed along with Steven's dropped pass/possible catch and fumble. I felt those were the exact right calls.

The officials are getting lambasted on the sports talk around here and on the national level but other than Roths TD and the Hassleback BBW I felt they did a great job, especially Levy. Someone on the other thread did not like his lack of explanation on the Roth TD. But in watching a high number of games this season, if there was a lack of evidence to overturn, the WH's to a man all said "the ruling on the field stands" instead of saying there was a lack of evidence. If there was conclusive evidence one way or the other then they would expound that info.

[NothernVA_Ump]

How can you have OPI before a pass is thrown? That one still boggles my mind.

[ljudge]

Originally posted by NothernVA_Ump
How can you have OPI before a pass is thrown? That one still boggles my mind.

Unfortunately, I don't have an NFL rule book available. But IF the NFL code agrees with that of the high school level (for this particular rule), let it no longer "boggle" your mind. OPI restrictions begin with the snap. DPI restrictions begin once the pass is thrown. Again, I can't say whether the codes agree but if they do, there's your answer. Hopefully someone can clear this up for you.

OverAndBack - very nice work!

[jrfath]

How can you have OPI before a pass is thrown? That one still boggles my mind.
__________________________________________________ _________

From the nfl.com rulebook section http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/passinterference

4. It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such playerÂ’s opportunity to catch the ball. Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped until the ball is touched. Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by jrfath
How can you have OPI before a pass is thrown? That one still boggles my mind.
__________________________________________________ _________

From the nfl.com rulebook section http://www.nfl.com/fans/rules/passinterference

4. It is pass interference by either team when any player movement beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders the progress of an eligible player of such playerÂ’s opportunity to catch the ball. Offensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is snapped until the ball is touched. Defensive pass interference rules apply from the time the ball is thrown until the ball is touched.

You cannot just push the defender out of the way then get wide open. Remember the defense cannot contact a receiver before the ball is thrown either for similar reason. The penalty is not DPI before the ball is thrown (NFL does have a 5 yard window).

Peace

[JRutledge]

This is the best break down of the video that I have seen. Great post Over and Back.

Peace

[JasonTX]

Wow!! is exact. During the game I admit I didn't see that hold, but now with this clip it is plain as day. If he doesn't hook him then that player makes the sack. Good Call!

[rockyroad]

Originally posted by JRutledge

You cannot just push the defender out of the way then get wide open. Remember the defense cannot contact a receiver before the ball is thrown either for similar reason. The penalty is not DPI before the ball is thrown (NFL does have a 5 yard window).

Peace

And the replay also shows the defender grabbing Jackson right at the goal line, causing him to break stride...so I ask again, if the BJ doesn't call that illegal contact, why does he throw the flag on Jackson's push? If you're gonna "let them play", then let them play...

[prosec34]

Originally posted by rockyroad

And the replay also shows the defender grabbing Jackson right at the goal line, causing him to break stride...so I ask again, if the BJ doesn't call that illegal contact, why does he throw the flag on Jackson's push? If you're gonna "let them play", then let them play...

Jackson was already cutting when Hope touched him. IMO, Jackson wasn't impeded by Hope's touching. Run the replay and watch Hope get knocked backwards by Jackson's push, which clearly prevented him from making a play.

There's nothing inconsistent there.

[OverAndBack]

I didn't see the goalline contact as a "grab," and I didn't see it cause the receiver to break stride. The receiver looks over his shoulder, then turns to his left to make a cut. He has to STOP to make the turn effectively. I thought the goal line contact was fairly negligible, while the pushoff got the separation that enabled him to catch a touchdown pass a second afterwards. You can't let that go.

[Bob M.]

REPLY: Over and Back...great post!! Thanks. I had seen all he controversial plays except the hold on the Seattle tackle. I agree with JasonTx...the hold was there. And a more mediocre official might not have seen it or realized its impact on the play

[carolinaRRREF]

On the holding call, the defensive player was offside?

If I knew how to post pictures, I would, but if you pause the video right at the beginning, you'll see the ball still on the ground in the center's hand, and both the nose tackle AND the player that supposedly got held already in motion, stepping across the line.

This is my first post, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the reactions of the officials on this forum (although I understand). We tend to give our own the benefit of the doubt with calls, as we've all made mistakes, but that game was embarassing, for the following reasons:

The OPI may have been a legit call BY THE BOOK... but it's a call that never gets made. We can all say we'd call it, but in the Super Bowl, who really would? That play happens on every passing play in football, and gets called twice a year. If you're going to make it a point of emphasis, do it all season, not at the most crucial point of the most important game, after a full season of non-calls. To say it was called according to the rules is a cop-out... you can call holding on every play, illegal formation on every play, and illegal contact on every play, but you don't, because you let the players play.

The holding call referenced above -- If that's holding, then there is nothing an offensive lineman can do legally. The man was offsides, then got on his outside. The lineman put one hand squarely on his chest and pushed him, never grabbed him. The stills are misleading, as they show him sliding off, but there was no grab. The telling pic would be after the supposed hold, the defensive player never protested. When was the last time you had a defensive player say he WASN'T held?

Illegal block was without a doubt the worst call in the history of football. No excuse for not huddling up to discuss that and pick up the flag.

I've been officiating high school and college football for 20 years, and I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night if I was on that crew. Defend your brethren all you want, but look at it objectively and you'll see it was a terribly called game.