The calls WERE bad on both teams. I remember one towards the end of the game when they called the Giants for illegal hands to the face, and when they showed the replay, it was the Pats player whose hands were in the face of the Giants player. I just figured it was a make-up call for one of the ridiculous calls on us. I was shocked when they overturned the Beckham non-TD, although when they show the replay in real time, it is a bang/bang play. What a relief that we got a break on that one.
-I disagree. The calls were not bad for both teams. One team had bad call
s that had a material effect on the game, one had an instance of a bad call with a material a minimal material effect on the game. To call that game 'bad for both' is an equivocation along the lines of: a man getting a ***** slap and a man getting hit with a hammer are "two guys who both got equally hit".
- One team had multiple examples of
selective enforcement that materially affected the game, one team did not have these calls and/or cause of material change.
-Yes that one call appeared to be a bad call on the Giants (like you, I said in the game day thread as it happened: "ahem, makeup call, ahem".
But if the call on Andrews was a good one ("classic holding" as another poster said), why would a make up be needed? And if it really was a makeup call then isn't that point blank evidence it was a bad call, phantom or selective? (fyi, it was marginal and it was also very selective enforcement. The Giants should have been flagged multiple times for murder on their OL if Andrews holding was a "good call". Btw, how many holding calls, ahem, on the Giants OL in this game???).
That my friend is the rub -- not just phantom calls but
selective enforcement. Bottom line: you do not keep the flag in your pocket and let 'em play, then take it out for marginal calls that take points off the board or effect possession changes (especially late in the 4th quarter).
Consider the points/possession material affects for both teams:
Patriots:
--Penalty - Andrews Holding, takes 7 points off the board.
--Penalty - Butler phantom PI. Instead of 4th and long at the Patriots 41 (though they could go for a 57-58 yard FG) and a punt/possession change, it is 1st down Giants at the Patriots 21. (Virtually Guaranteed the Giants 3 points)
--Penalty - Chung's totally blatant PI because he didn't look back**, instead of 4th down and a certain punt/possession change, First down Giants around the Patriot 48 yard line.
**(a)Handfighting is not PI, (b)not looking back is not PI
--Penalty - Gronkowski OPI** - 3rd and 8 successfully gained replaced by 3rd and extremely long that is unsuccessfully gained (though not a direct effect on a possession change, about as close as it can be).
**Patriots 8th OPI of 2015(over 300% of league average). Number called against Patriots opponents = 1 (almost 200% below league average). Fyi, Next highest team in NFL for OPI = 4. League OPI calls Average = 2.4
Giants(2 examples):
1-The supposed 'make up call' already on 1st down. Instead of 1st and 11 for the Patriots, it is 1st and 6. Very little material effect.
2-Patriots at the Giants 4 yard line and it is 2nd down, PI on Giants. Instead of 2nd and 4 for the Patriots, it is 1st and 2 for the Patriots. Hardly a big material change, certainly a very long ways from a possession change, but an assist for sure.
Every team gets the bad/materially effecting crap calls at least one game a year. I hope this was the Patriots turn and it is over. I do not, per se, buy into conspiracy that Goodell being at his first Patriots game coincided with this steaming pile of Ref crap. Outside of OPI obviously being a point of emphasis for the Patriots -- unless we are an extreme outlier of our own doing and our opponents are a pillar of no OPI actions -- I haven't seen a season pattern of phantom calls and/or selective enforcement as of yet.
