MrNathanDrake

please do not merge this, as it deserves its own thread.

This play. This drive. Changed the momentum of the game. Pats were up 13-0, easily moving the ball on offense and forcing 3 and outs on defense.

First off, the Pats never should've been in that situation on that drive. It should've been a 3 and out. Then the refs called defensive holding on Mayo. The replay showed absolutely nothing. It was a phantom call on Mayo.

This game could've (and probably should've) been a complete blow out. The Ravens were basically handed 2 free first downs on the drive where they got their first TD, making the game 13-7. The score was much closer than the play indicated. Pats should've gotten the ball back at 13-0, and wouldve had a chance at going up 20-0 in the 1st qtr. This drive (and the Ravens last TD drive) seemed like the refs were doing everything in their power to make sure the Patriots defense did not stop them. It was almost blatant. That's 14 points handed to the Ravens.

Yes the calls were bad both ways, but it was about 65/35 in favor of the Ravens. And in much more opportune times for the Ravens as well (on 3rd downs when they should've been forced to punt).



Now lets talk about the 4th and 1 challenge.



Anquan Bolden is near the sidelines, and as he's going out of bounds, he reaches for the 1st down marker. Only the ball was in his hand and looked to be out of bounds short of the 1st down.

The ref on the field marked him a yard short of 1st down.

They overturned it giving BMore the 1st down....

However, there was absolutely NO EVIDENCE that he actually got the 1st down. Unless they had a birds eye view of the play (which they didn't) it's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to know exactly when and where the ball was out of bounds. None of the replays showed conclusive evidence. The only replays they had were from sideline angles, which literally make it impossible to see when the ball crossed the sideline boundary.

The call on the field should've stood due to inconclusive evidence. Ravens wouldve been forced to punt, giving the Pats a chance to go up 20-0. Instead the Ravens score a TD against a frustrated defense in one of the biggest head scratcher drives of all time.

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Bring on the 2012 Season

DarrylS

What got me most was that this ruined the "rhythm" of the game, there was no indication that the first down was even close.. and all it did was give the Ravens a very long time out, as the referees bumbled about like idiots..

This has got to change, and change quickly..

One of the things that I love about the NFL, is its rhythm and how is moves along, last night the came was herky jerky throughout.. no sure how these guys can play in this environment.

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State

You guys make good points. Esp. overturning a play when there's nothing anyone can point to as evidence. The fourth and one. That was home field advantage coming into play. There was really nothing to look at. It was like overturning the playoff game when Ben Watson opened a can of whooparse on Champ Bailey before he crossed the goalline during that long interception return for a TD. That wasn't overturned for the very reason that conclusive evidence was not to be had.

Refs shouldn't become the story. That's the bottom line. They were too active in the second, arbitrarily calling things, not calling much more obvious stuff. Total disaster. The NFL is going to have to settle with the refs this week. Period.

Does anyone have footage they can find of Smith getting the last TD, when it looked as if he pushed off pretty clearly against McCourty to get separation? On the replay, Collinsworth mentioned something about it.

stevedogc

It all started in the previous drive. There were 3 occassions where the Pats had the ball within the Ravens 30 yard line and the refs called back or negated 3 first downs, forcing the Pats to a FG.

1. There was the hold by Gronk that negated a first down run. Collingsworth and Michaels were literally speechless at how bad the call was.

2. The offensive PI on Edelman. How many times do we see a WR trying to come back for an underthrown ball only to have the defender make contact becuase he was not playing (or facing) the ball. But this time it was Edelmans fault?

3. The 3rd down pass to Welker, on the opposite side of the field the Ravens corner (cant remember which player) slapped Edelman 3 times in the head, all in front of the Ref who was about 5 feet away and looking straight at them. No personal foul call.

Im pissed at alot of the things the Pats did in this game, especially on the D and some playcalling. But for once I can't let bad play get in the way of how bad the refs were in this game. They clearly affected the outcome of the game.

PatsSox363804

I remember that Edelman adamantly signaled first down Patriots then the refs threw the flag on him for OPI, it's almost like they were pissed that he did it and changed the call. No way you can call that offensive PI.

The Mayo call I still haven't seen and that makes me think it was complete crap. That call changed the whole game. Also it seems like there was no flag until the fans started booing, the fans were completely in the refs heads last night.

Nehalem

I noticed that too. The flag seemed really late.

Palm Beach Pats Fan

That call (overturning the spot) was questionable, but there were 20 other calls that were much more obviously wrong.

Gronk being tackled to the ground every time he got isolated on Ray Lewis downfield.

Phantom hold on Gronk stopped a 1st half drive. Another drive stalled after Edelman dropped a 3rd down pass and took a forearm to the head. No call.

Mayo's defensive holding call.

Several calls on McCourty (thought the last one was probably right).

Blantant missed holds on pass rushers all night: Jones, Ninkovich.... it seems only Wilfork getting held got noticed in the least. On the edge... anything goes. tackle the pass rusher? No problem.

Quite obviously when the crowd got rowdy after the (correct) call that they disagreed with, when Welker was contacted far beyond 5 yds and nullified an INT, the refs were scared of ther crowd and were not throwing any flags against the Ravens from that point on.

Planet Earth has seldom seen worse officiating.

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letekro

I think the rule is, as long as his feet are in bounds, he can reach the ball out, and that will be his forward progress (i.e., where the ball is). It was pretty obvious that he extended the ball past the first down marker. BB's problem was giving the Ravens a measurement which gave them extra time to think about what they wanted to do. Of all the calls, I'm not sure why you're focusing on this one.

Section103

Honestly, in real time, I thought he had the first. On replay, I thought he had the first. He wasn't out until he hit the ground, when he hit the ground the ball was clearly passed the marker. It's where the ball is when you are declared out of bounds. It is NOT where the ball crosses out of bounds. They challenge plays for spot of the ball all the time and they use video to determine it. I don't think this was any different.

What was bizarre is that they called for a measurement for a spot that was over a yard away from the first. When do they ever do that?! It just gave the Ravens a chance to watch replays to know whether to challenge. Smart move on the Ravens part.

With that said, there were SO many other calls and non-calls that screwed the Pats... the Ravens too, but the Pats ones were so much worse given the situations they were in when they happened.

Big-T

Joe Flacco and Ray Lewis got in the scabs mind with the outbursts they had last week. Add in a home crowd baying for blood...you get inept, under qualified people trying to do a job they clearly aren't upto and buckling under the pressure.