Last play of GB Seattle

[InsideTheStripe]

Originally Posted by canuckrefguy

Really?

So one player can outright catch it in the air, and another player can come in clearly afterwards and as long as he gets a hand on the ball it's simultaneous?

I'll take your word for it, Rut - you've reffed football probably as long as I've been alive - but to this casual fan it seems like a strange rule.

I don't think it was 'clearly afterwards'.

They were both still in the air when there were four arms around the ball. The 'four arm' situation continued onto the field of play.

I don't have a problem with the call either way.

If I had to guess how the NFL wants this particular play called, I bet there will be a downgrade on a certain LOS offical. The call would have been a much easier sell had we not had differing, simultaneous signals from the covering officials. Verbal communication prior to a signal would have helped considerably here.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

I don't think it was 'clearly afterwards'.

They were both still in the air when there were four arms around the ball. The 'four arm' situation continued onto the field of play.

I don't have a problem with the call either way.

If I had to guess how the NFL wants this particular play called, I bet there will be a downgrade on a certain LOS offical. The call would have been a much easier sell had we not had differing, simultaneous signals from the covering officials. Verbal communication prior to a signal would have helped considerably here.

The only time there were four arms on the ball was after both players were on the ground.

[canuckrefguy]

Originally Posted by Matt

The only time there were four arms on the ball was after both players were on the ground.

Just saw the replay again. Gotta agree with this observation. I'll let you football stripes debate the application of the rules, though.

[Adam]

Play nice, kids.

[Rita C]

What I saw was the one hand of the Seahawk on the ball simultaneously with two hands of GB. And as they came down, Seahawk got second hand on ball.

My husband and I were laughing at the ugliness of it all.

Rita

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by InsideTheStripe

I don't think it was 'clearly afterwards'.

They were both still in the air when there were four arms around the ball. The 'four arm' situation continued onto the field of play.

I don't have a problem with the call either way.

If I had to guess how the NFL wants this particular play called, I bet there will be a downgrade on a certain LOS offical. The call would have been a much easier sell had we not had differing, simultaneous signals from the covering officials. Verbal communication prior to a signal would have helped considerably here.

Of all the things discussed sorrounding the play, the "blarge" is what intrigues me the most. Those two officials looked directly at each other for a brief moment, then amazingly displayed different calls. Unbelievable.

There is absolutely NO hurry to make a call in that situation. Communication and agreement THEN the SAME call should have been communicated on the field. Even if a call is "wrong", we officials know that we are only helping ourselves if we all show the same ruling on the field.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by DLH17

Of all the things discussed sorrounding the play, the "blarge" is what intrigues me the most. Those two officials looked directly at each other for a brief moment, then amazingly displayed different calls. Unbelievable.

I don't see two different calls. I see one stop-the-clock signal, and a TD signal. As Jeff notes previously, they don't use the stop-the-clock signal on touchbacks.

This is the football equivalent of one official raising his hand and the other going straight to the player control signal.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Adam

I don't see two different calls. I see one stop-the-clock signal, and a TD signal. As Jeff notes previously, they don't use the stop-the-clock signal on touchbacks.

This is the football equivalent of one official raising his hand and the other going straight to the player control signal.

So, you are saying both officials had a TD?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by DLH17

So, you are saying both officials had a TD?

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't know what the other official had, and don't see how anyone does.

Originally Posted by Rich

Sorry, not buying it. A lot of officials use a stop the clock on touchbacks. I'm not sure I've ever seen one use a stop the clock signal on a *touchdown*, though.

You could be right. I've only had one close TB interception, and I didn't use the stop the clock signal; but mine was close to an incomplete as the defender was running out of bounds.

While I don't think this is quite the "blarge," it does seem like it's close. If anything, it seems the one official wants to talk about it.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't know what the other official had, and don't see how anyone does.

And, that is the issue I have with the way the play was managed by the two covering officials.

They clearly looked at each other before either gave a signal. I wish a reverse camera angle were available for us to see if they said anything to each other in that brief moment. Anything at all would have been good..."I have a touchdown, what do you have?" Instead, they gave two different signals which only invites confusion and opens the crew up to even more criticism.

[JugglingReferee]

I've seen guys stop the clock before a TB signal. Can't recall if it's NFL or NCAA.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by DLH17

Anything at all would have been good..."I have a touchdown, what do you have?" Instead, they gave two different signals which only invites confusion and opens the crew up to even more criticism.

I believe he said, "I have a touchdown, you call it dead," and the other guy said, "Ok."

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I believe he said, "I have a touchdown, you call it dead," and the other guy said, "Ok."

Fair enough. If that is true, then it answers my question. Nonetheless, two different signals still "looks" bad and invites *unecessary* criticism of the crew, imo.

Yes, they will still get criticized for the call, however, if both officials signal TD, there is less confusion and just looks better. Shows the crew is effectively communicating in pressure situations. That (at some level) counts for something in my book. Maybe it doesn't matter to anyone else. And that's ok, I guess.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

I'm not saying that. I'm saying I don't know what the other official had, and don't see how anyone does.



You could be right. I've only had one close TB interception, and I didn't use the stop the clock signal; but mine was close to an incomplete as the defender was running out of bounds.

While I don't think this is quite the "blarge," it does seem like it's close. If anything, it seems the one official wants to talk about it.

That is what I took out of this signal is the BJ felt they would discuss the play because he did not have possession either way. I think he gave the signal most of all out of surrender as he did not seem to have anything. I think he was just trying to find the ball and saw players on the ground with their hands on it.

Actually not sure how the BJ could see anything as there were other players in his way. And when I hear people ask him to be somewhere different, I am not so sure about that perspective at all. The BJ stays mostly in the middle of the field and would not have time on a deep play to get far over without getting in the middle of the play. I think people are just being nitpicky on this issue if they really think that a BJ is going to be in any better position. His goal is to stay on the end line and make sure someone is not touching the line and help if that is a factor.

Peace

[DLH17]

BTW, I've seen the white hat on these replacement crews use the stop clock mechanic on touchbacks more than once this season.

When I saw the BJ use the stop clock mechanic last night, it communicated change of possession to me.