End of Giants-Redskins game

[hbk314]

The NFL officials are doing a fantastic job of embarrassing themselves in primetime games this year.

They moved the chains after the 2nd down play and then decided after an incomplete pass on the next play that it was now 4th down.

Ultimately I think they got it right in the end, in that they didn't have the yardage for a first down, but to do what they did is inexcusable.

[zm1283]

Yeah that was pretty bad.

The wing official at the top of the screen (Forget which sideline it was) had a spot that looked like a first down on the 2nd and 5 play. (Or was blatantly close enough to measure it) When the Umpire went to spot it, he looked at the other wing guy at the bottom of the screen which moved the spot back about half a yard. The moved the chains and the down box at the bottom of the screen and the down box showed first down, then after the incompletion they brought the chains back and put 4th down on the box.

This was about as big of a screw up as the play earlier this year where the QB tried to center the ball and the crew let the clock run out and didn't let the offense run another play.

I have a question from the game.

After replay of the Redskins touchdown where they were looking if the knee hit the ground or not....the white hat said "the play stands" instead of "the play is confirmed". Cris Collinsworth said this word choice is because they could not find evidence to overturn the play. Is he correct or just blowing smoke?

[tmagan]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I have a question from the game.

After replay of the Redskins touchdown where they were looking if the knee hit the ground or not....the white hat said "the play stands" instead of "the play is confirmed". Cris Collinsworth said this word choice is because they could not find evidence to overturn the play. Is he correct or just blowing smoke?

He was correct, there was nothing convincing to overturn the play.

Originally Posted by tmagan

He was correct, there was nothing convincing to overturn the play.

I'm not asking about the overturning of the play, I am asking about the word choice when delivering the decision.

[APG]

Originally Posted by AremRed

I'm not asking about the overturning of the play, I am asking about the word choice when delivering the decision.

Play stands=not enough evidence to overturn
Confirmed=enough evidence to confirm call on the field

[tmagan]

Looking at the play in question, Triplette signaled 'third down' but in a way with his arm upward and diagonally that could have been interpreted as a 'first down'. Some officials 'first down' signals are different, i.e. Hochuli's is a psuedo baseball ejection symbol for a 'first down'.

Triplette basically threw the chain gang under the bus in the post game which is a problem because the head linesman clearly gave a signal to the chain gang to move the chains. I believe he did that because he saw Triplette's confusing first down signal and assumed he meant 'first down'.

I know they didn't want to give the offense a free timeout, but the clock has to be stopped in this situation to get everything right because in a game like this, it doesn't effect the rest of the season, but if this were a playoff game, well as Al Michaels would say: There would be hell to pay.

There is also a photo on the internet while Shanahan was arguing that showed the chain gang less than pleased with the officials.

[HLin NC]

While officials are averse to interrupting the flow late in the game at any level, this is the kind of screw-up that can pop up when you hurry and fail to communicate properly. It is still our job to administrate and if that means stopping and measuring then so be it.

I agree that the U spotted the ball incorrectly off the HL. It appeared The LJ foot was on the unofficial yellow line when the play ended.

[PAUmpire]

I read that the chains were reset as they were getting the 3rd down play off.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by PAUmpire

I read that the chains were reset as they were getting the 3rd down play off.

They were being set as the play started. However, the linesman on that side told Shanahan verbally that it was a first down when Shanahan asked for a measurement.

They screwed up. As soon as Triplette saw the chains moving he had to know there was a problem on that sideline and stopped it. And he obviously did as he began signalling 3rd down to that linesman emphatically.

[tmagan]

A way to solve this problem, in the future, is to use both arms to signal second or third down, why? Because 'first down' is always signaled with one arm. It is something I always saw the late Gordon McCarter do. Either that or late in a half, always have the referee signal the down with an open microphone.

People say they never saw this before. Something like this happened to Bob McElwee about a decade ago in a Bears game at the University of Illinois stadium while Soldier Field was undergoing renovations.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by tmagan

A way to solve this problem, in the future, is to use both arms to signal second or third down, why? Because 'first down' is always signaled with one arm. It is something I always saw the late Gordon McCarter do. Either that or late in a half, always have the referee signal the down with an open microphone.

People say they never saw this before. Something like this happened to Bob McElwee about a decade ago in a Bears game at the University of Illinois stadium while Soldier Field was undergoing renovations.

I don't think the problem here was the signal, as Triplette was signalling like a crazy man. The problem was that one official who had a good view thought it was a first down, and the other didn't. (The secondary problem was one official marking the ball at a point where a first down would have been gained - but the umpire taking the spot from the other official). The "fix" here is not to change mechanics ... but to measure when it's really this close - or alternately - when Triplette sees the chains moving, stopping play.

[hbk314]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I don't think the problem here was the signal, as Triplette was signalling like a crazy man. The problem was that one official who had a good view thought it was a first down, and the other didn't. (The secondary problem was one official marking the ball at a point where a first down would have been gained - but the umpire taking the spot from the other official). The "fix" here is not to change mechanics ... but to measure when it's really this close - or alternately - when Triplette sees the chains moving, stopping play.

I agree completely.

If I'm remembering correctly, I think they ultimately got the spot right, and it should have been short. But it should have been measured, especially after the confusion over the down.

Triplette basically threw the chain crew under the bus when in reality he's ultimately the one responsible. That's what bothers me most about this situation. Like the Wisconsin-ASU situation early in the year, we have a clear error by an officiating crew that clearly impacts the game, potentially changing the final score. In both cases it should have been an easy fix for the officials, and in both cases, the officials failed to fix the problem.

Errors in judgment calls will happen, they're still frustrating to see, but they happen. Administrative errors like these that happen in relatively relaxed action are a lot harder to let slide.

[tjones1]

The way Al was going nuts over it at the end of the game makes me believe he had some cash on the game!

It's clear the HL signaled for the chains to move... but then it looks like he puts 3 fingers up to show 3rd down.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by hbk314

I agree completely.

If I'm remembering correctly, I think they ultimately got the spot right, and it should have been short. But it should have been measured, especially after the confusion over the down.

Triplette basically threw the chain crew under the bus when in reality he's ultimately the one responsible. That's what bothers me most about this situation. Like the Wisconsin-ASU situation early in the year, we have a clear error by an officiating crew that clearly impacts the game, potentially changing the final score. In both cases it should have been an easy fix for the officials, and in both cases, the officials failed to fix the problem.

Errors in judgment calls will happen, they're still frustrating to see, but they happen. Administrative errors like these that happen in relatively relaxed action are a lot harder to let slide.

Needing a quick mental break, I scanned through your 100+ posts. Over 90 of them have to do with perceived errors made by professional or other high level officials.

Do you have any other purpose here? I'm sincerely curious. Do you officiate at all?