Is there anyone in the world who is not a Steelers fan who thinks the game was fairly officiated? That was one of the worst officiated games in the history of the NFL. Bill Leavy just took Dick Bavetta off the hook for worst official in a championship game.
To: The NFL
Paul Tagliabue and Mike Pereira:
Something must be done about the state of officiating in today’s NFL. Super Bowl XL was filled with so many blown and questionable calls that the integrity of the league has been called into question. While we do not necessarily believe in a conspiracy theory for the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, there is no denying that the game was completely lopsided in the officiating.
There were four key calls that went against the Seahawks during Super Bowl XL:
- Darrell Jackson offensive pass interference was marginal at best. The official called the penalty after being lobbied by the defensive player.
- Ben Roethlisberger’s TD run did not break the plane of the goal line. Again, the linesman initially called down by contact but after the ball was moved forward be Roethlisberger, he decided to call a touchdown instead.
- Holding call on Sean Locklear was a phantom call. This play was a huge momentum changer as the Seahawks would have had the ball at the 1 yard line. Also, the defensive player who was “held” on the play was offsides, which was not called.
- The most embarassing call, though, probably did not affect the outcome of the game was the illegal cut block on Matt Hasselbeck.
All replays show that the Pittsburgh Steelers were given the benefit of every call. Conversely, no questionable calls went against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
First the fiasco with the Troy Polamalu interception in the playoff game against the Colts, and now this farce. There are no repercussions for bad calls by the referees and they continue to make horrendous mistakes. Please, for the sake of America’s favorite sport, something must be done.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Sign the petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/SBXLref/petition.html
5 replies on “The NFL refs blew the game petition”
Not a Steelers fan, but… I’m not a Steelers fan, and I don’t gamble, so I had no horse in the SB XL race. I thought the Steelers would win, and I rooted for them in order to continually prove my genius as a football analyst.
But, all of the plays you named were ‘judgment’ calls, meaning they could have went either way. You conveniently left out the Jerramy Stevens ‘fumble’ in the first quarter that the refs said was not a catch. However, he took three steps before the ball came out. That judgment benefitted the Seahawks.
For the calls you listed, the first one was a rule book violation! If the defensive player had pushed the offensive player in order to gain leverage to catch the ball people would be outraged if no penalty was called. It’s the same if the offensive player pushes off to gain leverage. People are so ‘offensively’ biased that they think it’s fine for the offensive player to gain an advantage by pushing off. However, the rule book says differently. Jackson clearly pushed the defensive player and that push allowed him leverage to turn and catch the ball. Not one person who disagrees with the call has yet to say it wasn’t a rule book violation. They just say it was ‘marginal’ not ‘egregious’ etc… However, if he doesn’t call it, and it happens right in front of him, what does that bring into question?
Second, the FACT is that Ben’s elbow cross the plane, and the ball was tucked into his elbow. Once he was hit on the elbow, the ball and elbow went backwards. But that was after the ball had crossed the plane by a sliver. The ref’s delayed call does not mean that the play was wrong. The refs often delay the call (2-3 seconds) to get a closer look at body positioning, etc… It was challenged, and everyone says that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call. Why not? Because it looks like his elbow and ball crossed the plane.
Third, that holding call was legitimate. First, he wasn’t offsides. Next, he had gotten around the tackle, and the tackle was on the back of his right hip. As the defensive player continued to turn the corner, the tackle had a hold of his right arm and shoulder. Evidence of this is when the tackle let go, the defensive player’s arm flew forward and his body catapulted towards the qb. Watch it carefully. He had a clear shot on the quarterback, and what prevented him sacking the qb was the tackle grabbing him from the side. It was holding from several vantage points.
Fourth, it was a bad call on the Hasselback ‘illegal’ block. With a blocker and a ball carrier right there together, the ref just missed it. That wasn’t a judgment call, it was just a ‘bad read’ by the ref.
The petition is ungrounded. The refs didn’t blow the game. Those were judgment calls that could have went either way. If you say let them play, and the offensive pass interference, and holding should have been ignored, then when should the rules be enforced? Both penalties occurred right out in the open, if you don’t call them then, then when exactly do you call them?
What about Hasselback’s bad decision making? Did that effect the game? The deep ball was not there all game, yet he chucked it up the field 4 or 5 times, in vain. On several third and less than 10’s, he threw 30 or 40 yard routes. He kept looking for the big play, and ignoring the first down marker.
What about 20 runs, and 49 passes? For some reason, I don’t remember Hasselback leading the league in anything this year. However, they have a running back who led the league in rushing and touchdowns. He averaged almost 5 yards per carry in the game, but he only gets 20 carries? He’s a touchdown machine, but at 14-10, in the red zone, they’re passing the ball. 5-8 more carries would have kept the defense a little more honest, and allowed for a little playaction.
What about bad time management? Did that blow the game? How about 2 missed field goals? Did that blow the game? You really can’t argue about the two penalties. Everything can’t be in favor of the offense.
Overshadowed I agree with you, the pass interference was a good call, especially when the DB actually takes a step, or small hop, backwards, and Jackson didn’t argue the call, (guilty). The personal foul on Hasselback, I’m still trying to figure that one out. The holding call when Stevens caught the ball on the 2 yard line, I didn’t see it, neither did Madden. Those calls are overshadowing the Seahawks bad game, your’e absolutely right, bad time management, questionable playcalling, missed field goals. It’s almost like they changed the gameplan from what got them to the Super Bowl.
Gameplan I totally agree that the gameplan changed — but I think it changed mid-game. Seattle’s plan seemed to work WHEN THEY WORKED IT. But both Hasselbeck (who began taking over the game Peyton-Manning-like when things got hairy) and Holmgren (no wonder it’s called the two-minute warning — it should be a wake-up call to get someone else to call plays!) abandoned the balanced offense and got pass-wacky. Exactly what inexperienced and panicky teams do when they get just the least bit behind. Alexander ended the first half with 10 carries — ridiculous! He ended the game with 20 — retarded! Especially in the second half, he’d started to get some real yardage, and the ‘Hawks should have kept riding the horse what brung ‘um. Seattle’s O-line was manhandling the Steelers for most of the game (Polomalu & Porter were total non-factors), and Alexander would have likely gotten some serious yards, maybe even a score, if they’d given him 25-35 carries last night. Instead, they abandoned their gameplan and got out of any rhythm they might have had — it’s just this sort of thing that earns dumb penalties, interceptions, dropped passes, panicky play-calling and lost games. The Steelers didn’t have to win this game because Seattle pretty much handed it over.
Re bad calls: The Jackson push-off was a good call — he extended his arm and his defender WAS pushed back just enough to alter the play. I also agree that Stevens made a football move with the ball, but the refs called what was really a fumble an incomplete pass. However, Big Ben’s TD was bogus. For starters, the defender stuck his hand in front of the goal line where Roethlisberger was carrying the ball to keep it from breaking the plane — and replays show this clearly. Second, it’s only after Ben’s down that he brings the ball out from where he’d been stopped and passes it over the line. The linesman who made the call gave every indication that the ball would be spotted in front of the goal line, but changed his mind ONLY AFTER THE PLAY WAS COMPLETELY OVER. There was plenty of evidence to turn this call over. Further, Joey Porter’s horse-collar tackle on Alexander was way out of line — and everyone on the Steelers’ sideline was holding their breath waiting for it to be called. Shame on the refs — not only for missing yet another call in this game, but for putting players in danger by tacitly accepting a seriously unacceptable tackle. Finally, turnabout is usually fair play in situations like the awful call on Hasselbeck for cut-blocking and the stinker called on Locklear. But for whatever reason, even though Roethlisberger was under pressure the entire game from Seattle’s terrific front seven, not once did the Steelers suffer a holding call at such crucial times. If holding can, indeed, be called on every play, then make sure those calls come out balanced on the scoresheet at the end of the game.
Jeez, what a disappointing game!
the holding call changed the whole game “Third, that holding call was legitimate. First, he wasn’t offsides. Next, he had gotten around the tackle, and the tackle was on the back of his right hip. As the defensive player continued to turn the corner, the tackle had a hold of his right arm and shoulder. Evidence of this is when the tackle let go, the defensive player’s arm flew forward and his body catapulted towards the qb. Watch it carefully. He had a clear shot on the quarterback, and what prevented him sacking the qb was the tackle grabbing him from the side. It was holding from several vantage points.”
Have you watched the replay? He was offsides on the play. As for holding, every commentator on TV reviewing the play has said it wasn’t holding. Without that call, the Seahawks have the ball at the 1 yd line. That changed the whole momentum of the game.
here’s a photo http://blog.sportscolumn.com/story/2006/2/6/20543/57991/