Colts vs Pats Game

[BoBo]

Want to give props to one of our Iowa refs BJ Scott Helverson on the two big calls in yesterdays game.

The no call pass int before half where the Colts play tripped on his own foot and the TD call with the Pats Gafney?? in the back of the end zone.

Two tough calls but replay show he nailed them both.

Congrats Scott on a job well done.

[Raymond]

I'm a disinterested party since I'm an Eagles fan and a basketball ref.

My question is the pass interference call when Ellis Hobbs was guarding Reggie Wayne in the left corner of the end zone in the 3rd quarter.

Is there a face-guarding element to Defensive PI? Hobbs clearly was not looking back at the ball. But he also did not touch Wayne at all nor did he put his hands directly in front of Wayne's face. Hobbs guessed right and flailed his arm at the right moment and the ball hit him in the back of his left arm.

thank you my football brethren.

[Bob M.]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

I'm a disinterested party since I'm an Eagles fan and a basketball ref.

My question is the pass interference call when Ellis Hobbs was guarding Reggie Wayne in the left corner of the end zone in the 3rd quarter.

Is there a face-guarding element to Defensive PI? Hobbs clearly was not looking back at the ball. But he also did not touch Wayne at all nor did he put his hands directly in front of Wayne's face. Hobbs guessed right and flailed his arm at the right moment and the ball hit him in the back of his left arm.

thank you my football brethren.

REPLY: I don't think there's a non-contact face-guarding restriction in the NFL (someone correct me if I'm wrong) but there was some contact on the play and since Hobbs was not playing the ball and effectively "cut off" Wayne's path to the ball that was a little under thrown, the call was probably justified. The color commentator (Simms?) probably shouldn't have used that term in describing the action since most officials associate the word face-guarding with blocking the vision of the opponent.

And BoBo...I'm with you--nice job by Helverson on those calls. On the no-call, I'm assuming the deep wing threw the flag and Helverson came in with the additional information that made them pick it up. (Amazingly, it took the announcers a few replays in slo-mo before they saw that the receiver tripped himself. On the second, he conferred briefly with the deep wing to make sure they both saw the same thing.

[grantsrc]

Great patience by the two deep guys on the shove out. Also, great job getting together on the apparent DPI. They did an outstanding job.

And to the best of my knowledge there is no face guarding. There must have been contact. I was a little interested in the no call in the endzone on the fade towards the side (can't remember any more specifics). Looked like there was some contact.

[Jim D]

Although I was rooting for Indy, on New England's 3rd down pass in the endzone before they kicked their last TD, the receiver got mugged in the endzone. That call should have been made. It was certainly not incidental and probably prevented the TD.

[MJT]

There does have to be contact in the NFL, but there may have been some earlier. I thought both crews did an outstanding job!!!!

[shave-tail]

Originally Posted by Jim D

Although I was rooting for Indy, on New England's 3rd down pass in the endzone before they kicked their last TD, the receiver got mugged in the endzone. That call should have been made. It was certainly not incidental and probably prevented the TD.

I agree, I thought that was pass interference also. I've seen "a lot" of DPI calls with a lot less contact this year.

And please, please pretty please NFL, change the brush to head to the quarterback by a defender to something other than a personal foul, 15 yards.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Bob M.

And BoBo...I'm with you--nice job by Helverson on those calls. On the no-call, I'm assuming the deep wing threw the flag and Helverson came in with the additional information that made them pick it up. (Amazingly, it took the announcers a few replays in slo-mo before they saw that the receiver tripped himself. On the second, he conferred briefly with the deep wing to make sure they both saw the same thing.

Except that he didn't trip himself. His leg bumped the leg of the defender which caused it to hit his other leg taking him down. Not being a football ref, I assume this is what is meant by incidental contact and tangling of the feet, but it definately was the result of contact between the players.

[Mike L]

on the "shove-out" TD, did anyone else think it looked like the receiver jumped with his heal on the end-line? Replays never really showed any sort of good angle/look, but I suspect his toes couldn't be that close to the line and his heal not touch it.

[cmathews]

The replays I saw of the push out touchdown, eventually showed that his heels were in the air...never really on the line...it wasn't a good look, but it did appear that way. Judging by the calls those guys nailed before and after, and the fact that they were standing right there watching that very thing, I will certainly jump on their bandwagon, it was a great call....

I was confused about the no DPI in the endzone though with Caldwell...would like to hear some comment from the involved parties there....

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by Mike L

on the "shove-out" TD, did anyone else think it looked like the receiver jumped with his heal on the end-line? Replays never really showed any sort of good angle/look, but I suspect his toes couldn't be that close to the line and his heal not touch it.

He healed the end-line? Was it sick? Injured?

Heal-To cure.

Heel-Part of the foot.