Brady's Fumble Against Buffalo...

[SamBam39]

How was that any different than the 'Tuck Call' against the Raiders?

He was hit during the process of throwing and his arm had started slightly forward.

Why wasn't it at least challenged? Certainly a first half time out is not so critical that it couldn't have been risked to see if about reversing the touchdown call. So why didn't they? The announcers even mentioned later that the officials now call 'the safe call' and leave it up to you to challenge it.

I know you could argue whether or not you thought it was actually a fumble or not - of course - just like the tuck game, but I was surprised that Belichick just let it be called a touchdaown and didn't at least consider that the quarterback coul've been in the process of throwing.

Were any of you guys surprised by this?

 

[BelichickFan]

Live, I thought it was a fumble. On replay it was very, very close and important enough to take a shot at a challenge, I thought.

 

[Richter]

While it may have been the case that his arm was going forward, the real travesty on that play was the facemask by Spikes, which should have been a 15 yarder from the way Brady's head swung to the side.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

"Incontrovertible video evidence."

 

[PonyExpress]

Even if it wasn't a fumble it was a backwards pass, the equivalent of a fumble. Same as the Carolina game last year.

 

[SamBam39]

Live, I thought it was a fumble. On replay it was very, very close and important enough to take a shot at a challenge, I thought.

Agreed - I found it very strange that BB didn't challenge. I mean, could he have been that sure of the outcome? Could he have been just in shock and not thought of it? Could he have been so confident that we'd win that he wasn't worried about it? None of these seem like BB to me. So I find it very interesting that he didn't throw the flag and say brady was passing the ball,
so no fumble.

think about if that call had been reversed - how big would that have been?

 

[emoney_33]

How was that any different than the 'Tuck Call' against the Raiders?

He was hit during the process of throwing and his arm had started slightly forward.

Why wasn't it at least challenged? Certainly a first half time out is not so critical that it couldn't have been risked to see if about reversing the touchdown call. So why didn't they? The announcers even mentioned later that the officials now call 'the safe call' and leave it up to you to challenge it.

I know you could argue whether or not you thought it was actually a fumble or not - of course - just like the tuck game, but I was surprised that Belichick just let it be called a touchdaown and didn't at least consider that the quarterback coul've been in the process of throwing.

Were any of you guys surprised by this?

The tuck rule is a lot more than just arm going forward. This was a very close call and I doubt it would have been overturned, because on replay it looked to me that it came out before his arm went forward. The tuck rule is when you are already in forward motion and then proceed to bring the ball back and tuck it into yourself, during the process of tucking you cannot fumble until it is fully tucked... At least that's how I understood it back when I read it when it happened.

Probably should have been challenged but oh well

 

[SamBam39]

"Incontrovertible video evidence."

hey after oakland - ya never know.

 

[SamBam39]

Even if it wasn't a fumble it was a backwards pass, the equivalent of a fumble. Same as the Carolina game last year.

this makes sense to me.
maybe that's why he didn't do it.

just curious.

 

[PromisedLand]

How was that any different than the 'Tuck Call' against the Raiders?

He was hit during the process of throwing and his arm had started slightly forward.

Why wasn't it at least challenged? Certainly a first half time out is not so critical that it couldn't have been risked to see if about reversing the touchdown call. So why didn't they? The announcers even mentioned later that the officials now call 'the safe call' and leave it up to you to challenge it.

I know you could argue whether or not you thought it was actually a fumble or not - of course - just like the tuck game, but I was surprised that Belichick just let it be called a touchdaown and didn't at least consider that the quarterback coul've been in the process of throwing.

Were any of you guys surprised by this?

I was surprised too.

 

[PatsSox363804]

It was a fumble, but it was also a blatant facemask that wasn't called. I showed the still picture yesterday to a Bills fan who was arguing about calls in the Pats favor all game and he shut right the hell up.

 

[SamBam39]

It was a fumble, but it was also a blatant facemask that wasn't called. I showed the still picture yesterday to a Bills fan who was arguing about calls in the Pats favor all game and he shut right the hell up.

I thought his head jerked just from the blow by Spikes. Does the picture clearly show a facemask? That's too bad that they missed that then - but honestly, while wathcing, I didn't see the grab so I can't be too upset with the officials.


I was just more surprised that BB didn't give a reversal a shot.

 

[marty]

It was a fumble, but it was also a blatant facemask that wasn't called. I showed the still picture yesterday to a Bills fan who was arguing about calls in the Pats favor all game and he shut right the hell up.

I thought the facemask was blatant also, surprised it wasn't called! Loved seeing it printed in the PFW this week!

 

[SamBam39]

I thought the facemask was blatant also, surprised it wasn't called! Loved seeing it printed in the PFW this week!

Just went over to PFW and didn't see it - is there a way to check out this photo?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

INCONTROVERTIBLE
I did not see any incontrovertable replay. Neither did the Pats staff. That's why they didn't challenge. There was not clear photo evidence. With 59.9 minutes left to play, BB wanted to save any challenge for a later game turner. He knew he had a long time to revover from 7 down.

The Pats screwed up major league in their blitz handling and 'earned' the consequences.

And we all know that potential missed calls like the possible facemask can't be called upon review.

 

[mdhprime]

After looking at the reply a couple of times I thought it was a forward pass. I bet the coaching staff did not have enough time to take a look.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I thought at the time it was well worth throwing a flag, but the network never managed a slow motion replay before the extra point was kicked.

When I watch it frame by frame Brady clearly is in the process of throwing the ball to a wide open Graham on a quick slant and his arm is coming forward and is beyond it's upward arc when Spikes right hand chops his forearm nearer the wrist as his left hand grabs Brady's face mask and twists him around. Therefore it was not a fumble or the tuck rule either, it was an incomplete pass and a face mask.

One official had a clear view of Tommy from behind though he was screened by Dillon and Brady and didn't see Spikes until the hit occurred, and then he followed the track of the ball that sailed backwards because Spikes hit the arm near the wrist just as Brady was releasing the throw and because of the torque of the facemask which apparently no one was in position to see. Had the line judge been paying attention he should have seen it all clearly since the best view of the unfolding play was from where Graham was standing. That view was the last view played before the PA kick.

 

[PatsSox363804]

I thought his head jerked just from the blow by Spikes. Does the picture clearly show a facemask? That's too bad that they missed that then - but honestly, while wathcing, I didn't see the grab so I can't be too upset with the officials.


I was just more surprised that BB didn't give a reversal a shot.

facemask

 

[Richter]

facemask

There's an even better photo out there somewhere that shows the play from the front, with Spikes hand grabbing at Brady's grill.

 

[PatsSox363804]

There's an even better photo out there somewhere that shows the play from the front, with Spikes hand grabbing at Brady's grill.

Yeah I saw that one on the Herald site yesterday but I couldn't find it so I settled for this one. Not as good an angle, but still clearly visable that his hand is grabbing Bradys facemask. I had to listen to Bills fans cry all day yesterday until I finally pulled this picture out and said "look, we may have gotten a favorable spot or two, but are you prepared to take seven points off the board for the Bills?"