SD@DEN - Earned their Money!

[bisonlj]

If you didn't see it, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXvmYVNX2Xg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0g1GfVbzv8

[The Roamin' Umpire]

One other thing that struck me in this video was this: Credit Madden for recognizing L.T.'s restrained celebration: "Do you think a few professional players might learn from Ladainian Tomlinson's celebration there?"

[Mike L]

Put me in the minority, but I thought they actually had a lot of problems.

First the Olshansky thing. "Legal but completely unnecessary". That to me usually generates an unnecessary roughness call. The ball was already spiked, the offense knew it was to be a spike (especially the center), the linemen delays and then dives at Olshansky's knees. Sorry, but I'm flagging that in a second. Olshansky still sits for his reaction, but I don't think you should allow free shots at players knees that are "completely unnecessary" (and it was).
Then we have the problem of where the ball was spotted on the kickoff. Catch made with knees down in the endzone, but the ball is probably at about the 1. The slide continues to the 4 where he is touched. And the ball gets spotted on the 2?
Making an assumption, especially close to the endzone, that the penalty will be accepted rather than take the incomplete and the down?
Letting a snap go off with 2 balls on the field?
Going nose to nose with a player after a penalty call and then hitting them again with a USC?

I guess the way this may be used in a clinic in my opinion might be a little different that the way you think.

[MJT]

What I noticed was the U chucked his flag about 50 feet in the air when he threw the UR flag. I thought maybe cuz it was a UR he put a little extra under it, but he did the same thing for the delay for swatting the ball. He threw that flag with everything he got, putting his whole body into it.

[JasonTX]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Put me in the minority, but I thought they actually had a lot of problems.

First the Olshansky thing. "Legal but completely unnecessary". That to me usually generates an unnecessary roughness call. The ball was already spiked, the offense knew it was to be a spike (especially the center), the linemen delays and then dives at Olshansky's knees. Sorry, but I'm flagging that in a second. Olshansky still sits for his reaction, but I don't think you should allow free shots at players knees that are "completely unnecessary" (and it was).
Then we have the problem of where the ball was spotted on the kickoff. Catch made with knees down in the endzone, but the ball is probably at about the 1. The slide continues to the 4 where he is touched. And the ball gets spotted on the 2?
Making an assumption, especially close to the endzone, that the penalty will be accepted rather than take the incomplete and the down?
Letting a snap go off with 2 balls on the field?
Going nose to nose with a player after a penalty call and then hitting them again with a USC?

I guess the way this may be used in a clinic in my opinion might be a little different that the way you think.

Did the center even make contact? If not, then what foul are you calling? As far as the 2 balls on the field, that looked bad, but what can you do when both the game clock and play clock are both running.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

Did the center even make contact? If not, then what foul are you calling? As far as the 2 balls on the field, that looked bad, but what can you do when both the game clock and play clock are both running.

Yes. Helmet and/or shoulder pad to the right knee. The dive did not begin until after the ball hit the ground.

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by JasonTX

Did the center even make contact? If not, then what foul are you calling? As far as the 2 balls on the field, that looked bad, but what can you do when both the game clock and play clock are both running.

May have been a case of the official seeing the retailiation but not the instigator.

[RoyGardner]

From bisonlj:

"After the play you suddenly see a SD DL (Olshansky) slapping the helmet of one of the OL. The flag immediately came out and the player was ejected. I wondered what precipiated such a stupid action. On the replay you see both teams relax due to the obvious spike situation. The center hesitated but then delivered a low block to Olshanky (legal but completely unnecessary). He just reacted. It was a huge call because it now put Denver near midfield with 34 seconds left."

Block by Nalen was both late, illegal, and determined by the NFL to be a flagrant attempt to injure. NFL network just announced that Nalen has been fined $25,000. for the play. Olshansky, who was both flagged and ejected was only fined $10,000. The official's missed the original foul, and then caught the retaliation.