Is this pass interference?

[pats1]

3rd and 11 NE 25 (1st Patriots drive, 11:58 remaining in 1st quarter)

Result: Pass, Branch, Incomplete, 10 yard hook, ball jarred loose by Al Wilson.

Offense: 4 WR, Davis wide left, Watson right wing (in motion from left slot), Branch right slot, Givens wide right, Faulk RB to the left of Brady in shotgun.

Defense: 3-3-5 nickel, LOLB showing blitz left wing, ROLB pressure coverage on Watson right wing, all 3 CBs pressure coverage.

Blocking: Ashworth holds the DE without penetration before Faulk takes over, and Ashworth will then shadow the LOLB, who is bobbing around in front of him

Mankins has no one to block as well, and will do the same as Ashworth, with the LOLB

Hochstein, Neal, Gorin, and Watson hold the NT, other DE, and floating ROLB without penetration

Coverage: Davis brings a CB deep

Branch brings the NB 10 yards downfield and quickly dropping off, but has to wait an extra second for Brady to get the ball over, giving time for the zoned MLB, Wilson, to come up and HIT BRANCH EARLY (see PatsFans for graphical evidence), causing the ball to come incomplete

Givens occupies the other CB

Analysis: While this was a non-called penalty, Brady, not under any pressure, should have thrown this ball earlier. Branch had to sit in his hook pattern, waiting for the ball.

 

[Ring 6]

I thought it was blatant pass interference at the time.

 

[pats1]

It's pretty close. I'd like to know what you think.

 

[primetime]

If you're going frame by frame, sure. But I think there's a million other penalties you could find going frame by frame, too, so I don't know.

 

[oldrover]

Let it go.

 

[pats1]

If you're going frame by frame, sure. But I think there's a million other penalties you could find going frame by frame, too, so I don't know.

You didn't think this was pass interference when it wasn't called?

 

[Ring 6]

It's pretty close. I'd like to know what you think.

My eyes didnt deceive me,
Contact before the ball arrives it pi.
No gray area, no close.

HOWEVER, many calls are missed in every game. Who even knows if the ref responsbile for the call was in position, or had an unobstructed view. (I know you could probably tell from the tape).

These things happen, and all you can do is get pissed while they happen and understand any team must overcome them to win.


Sometimes we operate under the impression that the ref saw what we see, from our angle with a clear view. Doesnt happen.

 

[primetime]

It looked to me like he hit him at the right time, when the ball got there. Apparently he hit him early, but I wouldn't say that a nanosecond early is going to catch the ref's eyes. There were worse non-calls in that game, and worse calls to boot.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I thought it was interference by the book. The thing is Wilson had a good jump on the ball and got there a fraction of a second before the ball, objectively I can't blame the officiating in letting this one go, a good 'let the players play' call. As Andy noted, the execution wasn't there, and I'll bet you have plenty of notes on the execution problems too.

 

[pats1]

My eyes didnt deceive me,
Contact before the ball arrives it pi.
No gray area, no close.

HOWEVER, many calls are missed in every game. Who even knows if the ref responsbile for the call was in position, or had an unobstructed view. (I know you could probably tell from the tape).

These things happen, and all you can do is get pissed while they happen and understand any team must overcome them to win.


Sometimes we operate under the impression that the ref saw what we see, from our angle with a clear view. Doesnt happen.

The umpire was 10 yards in front of the play (looking at Branch head-on)

 

[Ring 6]

But there you go. If he is calling it from in front of Branch and Branch is hit from behind, its a tough call.
These plays happen fast. I cant hold a referee accountable to always be right about whether the hit was just before or just after the ball.

Those dont bother me, the Samuel call does. It was just poor officiating.
I hate late flags. Every WR in the NFL whines for calls. Late flags make it seem like the ref couldnt make a decision so responded to the whining.

 

[pats1]

I thought it was interference by the book. The thing is Wilson had a good jump on the ball and got there a fraction of a second before the ball, objectively I can't blame the officiating in letting this one go, a good 'let the players play' call. As Andy noted, the execution wasn't there, and I'll bet you have plenty of notes on the execution problems too.

Especially the offensive line. Thank God Light and Koppen will be back, and Kaczur and Mankins will be a year older.

 

[Richter]

I pointed this out the other night... it's not the only play where that happened. By itself, it's just a missed call, it happens. But taken in the context of this game, it's clear the referees are total failures at their profession and do not deserve to call another game.

 

[ilduce06410]

the nfl will look at it

If you're going frame by frame, sure. But I think there's a million other penalties you could find going frame by frame, too, so I don't know.

the nfl has an exhaustive performance rating system for officials. every ref gets a numerical score for performance in every game, on maybe 4 different criteria. they get a game-by-bame score, and it's compiled into a score for each crew as well as each official.
according to an SI article on this maybe 3 years ago, only the highest-rated crews get to work playoff games. the highest-rated crew in the playoffs "gets" to do the SB and the all-star game.
i would think that the scores are pretty closely held inthe nfl office.
but BB made a post-game comment to the effect that he was surprised to see that crew working the game.
if asnoyone outside the league office has the scores, would't you think it would be BB?

 

[ilduce06410]

oh yeah, my point

I thought it was blatant pass interference at the time.

the league will look at every play in that game. it will see those calls. tere are "sanctions" given ti officials who relly scewed the pooch.
suspension from working games, expulsion.
nfl has a bunch of people who've gone through the training camps. los stupidos get bounced.

 

[PatsFan-NH]

the nfl has an exhaustive performance rating system for officials. every ref gets a numerical score for performance in every game, on maybe 4 different criteria. they get a game-by-bame score, and it's compiled into a score for each crew as well as each official.
according to an SI article on this maybe 3 years ago, only the highest-rated crews get to work playoff games. the highest-rated crew in the playoffs "gets" to do the SB and the all-star game.
i would think that the scores are pretty closely held inthe nfl office.
but BB made a post-game comment to the effect that he was surprised to see that crew working the game.
if asnoyone outside the league office has the scores, would't you think it would be BB?

Yes the NFL used to have the best individuals working the playoffs. Then about 2-3 years ago all the calls were terrible. There was great hue and cry from fans, teams, and media. They blamed it on the refs not knowing each other, and not working together well. So then they moved to the best 'teams'. Unfortunately they then quietly went back to their old ways.

If a high rated 'team', had a ref who is a rookie, they replace him with a vet from outside the team. Which to me means that they are using the awarding of games as currency to reward favorites and punish those they dislike. Perhaps inserting those who are hated/loved by certain teams with powerful committee assignments ? Not that I am saying it is a big conspiracy, but that politics are involved, and the outcome is not decided by what is the best for the game.