Whose fault?

Kurn · #1 12-04-07, 02:58 PM

P.S. - Gaffney was bobbling that ball. :P

Wrong. Both hands were in contact with the ball 100% of the time.

On the other hand, the 3 straight 4th downs did remind me of the Russians winning the B-Ball olympic gold.

GTDawg · #2 12-04-07, 03:22 PM

It is a rule. I'm not sure what the standard practice is about calling the timeout and sorting things out later. I would assume the line judge is staring down the line of scrimmage and if he hears someone screaming timeout and running down the sidelines at him and motioning for a timeout...he's not going to let the play go and verify if it was a valid timeout later. (Could you imagine the uproar if he did that and the Pats scored on that play and the Ravens cried bloody murder because they were calling for a timeout from the sidelines but the evil refs let the play go anyway?)

==========
As for the fourth downs...
The ravens called time out
The pats false started
Brady runs for a 12 yard gain.

It's not like the refs kept making up reasons to allow the Pats to get another chance.

That being said, the Ravens implosion was in slow motion and you could see the Patriots winning from a mile away. It was inevitable. You just saw it coming after the interception on the drive that would've ended it for all intents and purposes.

de-coder · #3 12-04-07, 03:28 PM

Which is not enough to have control of the ball (even if it were correct, which it isn't) - the 2 things are different. If you use that standard many incomplete passes should be overturned on review.

I think you actually need to be in possession and in control of the ball to have a catch.

In this case the ball clearly moved between his fingertips on his right hand and the palm of his left - he didn't have it for another 1/2 step, which put him out of bounds. In any event that play never should've happened - what a bunch of lucksacks.

If you get caught cheating just get lucky!

Kurn · #4 12-04-07, 07:16 PM

Wel, if I were standing in front of you with a football in my hands, I could easily demonstrate that you can be moving the ball in between you hands and it still being "secured'.

And if stealing defensive signals is cheating, I want them to cheat.

Saying you think a rule against stealing visual signals by any means is a good rule for football is sort of like like saying you think the Foxwoods tournament rule that you can't talk to your opponent even when HU is good for poker.

drewjax · #5 12-04-07, 09:30 PM

.......says the moron with no clue!!

Talking Poker · #6 12-04-07, 03:28 PM

I believe he had control and that it was a catch, but what you just said is absolutely not true. Both hand were not in contact with the ball 100% of the time. At the end of the catch (well out of bounds), the ball was in his right hand only, so obviously his left hand came off at some point.

I don't think there was enough evidence to overturn the call, but I also don't think he had "control" (by definition) of the ball BEFORE getting his second foot down in bounds.

The Pats got a LOT of help during that last drive.

Reel Deal · #7 12-04-07, 04:31 PM

Kurn · #8 12-04-07, 07:02 PM

I'm not denying that the ball is moving in his right palm, it is, but his left hand is on the ball. To indicate a loss of control, the ref must be able to see space between the ball and the receiver's hands/body.

It was close, and had the call on the field been incomplete, I don't think they could've overturned it either.

I'll agree with Samari Rolle on one thing, the defense is hamstrung by today's rules. But to hint that the NFL wants the Patriots to remain undefeated to sell seats is ridiculous. They sell just as many seats in years with no undefeated teams. In fact, the league designs scheduling and drafting in such a way that one might think their ultimate goal is 32 8-8 teams.

The media, and some fans, hype the going undefeated angle. As I've said, as a Pats fan, that's no higher than #3 on my wish list. Right now #1 & #2 looks good - the Pats are looking like the favorite to win the Super Bowl, and if the bottom of the standings stay the same, they'll have the #2 overall pick in the draft. I'll take 15-1 in the regular season if I get the other two.

Besides, as Brady said, 19-0 is no big deal. His Pats already won 21 straight once.

Reel Deal · #9 12-04-07, 11:44 PM

I always thought that the ball couldn't be moving or shifting in the receivers hands for it to be considered under control, but I'm not 100% on that. But, yeah, very close and I agree that they probably couldn't have overturned in the other way either.

I just hope my Jags get a shot at you guys in the playoffs.