NFL FG rule changed right after game.

[Nitro]

What's sad about this is about 6 officials mis-understood the rule while belichick and some random nfl.com guy knew it exactly.

You mean the random nfl.com guy in the video also known as the vice president of officiating?

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Because people had screenshots of the official rulebook within minutes. The thing that everybody is freaking out about is some article on NFL.com. Nothing more.

Sciz, I agree that an article on a website, even nfl.com, is largely meaningless when it is contrary to the rulebook. It's odd that it was changed so quickly but I'm not suggesting conspiracy. Where I begin to take issue is that some are noting there is, or was, a video from the head of officiating that also contradicted the rulebook. If that video exists and contains that contradiction, that is a very big deal to the issue of fairness/anti competitiveness. With this rule being brand new, never having been called before, others pointing out the same "infraction of that rule" had been uncalled on other FG/PATs in this game (and other games), now couple that with the uncertainty surrounding it as defined by the head of officiating, and by inference that rule having been explained to BB incorrectly (assumption)......and this penalty should have NEVER been called at this point in a game.
It's an issue of fairness. The NFL should have clarified this rule by way of memo to each HC/team instead of telling its refs to start calling it this week and having it called in a scenario such as this (especially given it was a glancing push/infraction). The NFL should have handled this MUCH better than they did......

 

[Koma]

Because people had screenshots of the official rulebook within minutes. The thing that everybody is freaking out about is some article on NFL.com. Nothing more.

Note - I'm not buying into the conspiracy theory, but I think it is noteworthy that the article was from the league's website. It wasn't from ESPN, or CBSSportsline, or even Bleacher Report where there's the potential for the league's message to get confused or twisted when someone outside the league puts their spin on it. Or maybe an outside news agency just didn't have the most up to date info from the league.

If the message crafted by a representative of the NFL didn't match up with the way officials were told to enforce the rule, you would hope someone would have noticed the discrepancy before they started calling it in games.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Note - I'm not buying into the conspiracy theory, but I think it is noteworthy that the article was from the league's website. It wasn't from ESPN, or CBSSportsline, or even Bleacher Report where there's the potential for the league's message to get confused or twisted when someone outside the league puts their spin on it. Or maybe an outside news agency just didn't have the most up to date info from the league.

If the message crafted by a representative of the NFL didn't match up with the way officials were told to enforce the rule, you would hope someone would have noticed the discrepancy before they started calling it in games.

the call went for the jets ? shocking! how are the giants doing ? where's the league office ? reminds me of the lakers and donaghey.

 

[TomPatriot]

On Gost's kick there was a Jet lined up right over the snapper. That's illegal. He was also pushed into the snapper.

On the last Gost FG to tie the game, the Jets ran the same stunt, with a DL sliding behind another DL after the snap and pushing him. I just watched it on NFL Rewind. No call.

 

[flasox27]

As I have said before does anybody think if that this would have been called against the Jets if the situation was reversed. I think the facts speak for themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ref's got a reminder from the box before OT.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Because people had screenshots of the official rulebook within minutes. The thing that everybody is freaking out about is some article on NFL.com. Nothing more.

I disagree. There's also the video of the head of officiating explaining it that way.

Rules are like laws, and you can follow them to the letter or the spirit. It's no different than a law saying you cannot go past the speed limit, but the police chief telling everyone it's okay so long as they're not going faster than 10 over, only one officer missed the memo and tickets you for going 2 over. Yes, it's technically in violation of the law if you follow it to the letter, but not the spirit.

And it isn't just an NFL.com article. If the head of officiating understands it one way, who knows how it was explained to coaches and teams in training camp? What if the guy visiting Pats camp had his head up his ass?

We didn't lose the game because of one call. But there's obviously some major confusion around this issue, and not just with BB. If the head of officiating understands the rule the same way as BB, and that's wrong, then who knows what the **** the rest of those moronic refs think?

If the head of officiating understands the rule the same way as BB, then it goes well beyond just an NFL.com article.

 

[Delicate Genius]

How do you know it didn't change?

https://www.nfl.info/download/2012MediaGuides/2013 NFL Rule Book.pdf

If you check the page info (on Firefox: Tools > Page Info) it says it was last modified on August 13, 2013. So the rule book wasn't changed after the game, only whatever was posted on that NFL.com page. How the VP of officiating managed to explain the rule incorrectly is bizarre though.

It's a dumb rule that the refs decided to ignore for seven weeks and hundreds of FG attempts, including what appeared to be a blatant push just a few minutes prior on Gostkowski's tying kick.

 

[jb1095]

https://www.nfl.info/download/2012MediaGuides/2013 NFL Rule Book.pdf

If you check the page info (on Firefox: Tools > Page Info) it says it was last modified on August 13, 2013. So the rule book wasn't changed after the game, only whatever was posted on that NFL.com page. How the VP of officiating managed to explain the rule incorrectly is bizarre though.

It's a dumb rule that the refs decided to ignore for seven weeks and hundreds of FG attempts, including what appeared to be a blatant push just a few minutes prior on Gostkowski's tying kick.

Ok, so the rule sucks but it is a legit rule per the rule book. I don't care what some NFL.com press release says, or when it was modified, what counts here is the actual rule in the rule book and something people have failed to mention or notice is the following:

The penalty for this infraction is a 15 yard penalty for "Unnecessary Roughness", NOT "Unsportsmanlike like conduct". So the call was incorrect either way..no matter what the outcome, and regardless of the fact that each penalty carries the same punishment...rules are rules and there is NO RULE IN THE RULE BOOK that gives an "Unsportsmanlike like conduct" Penalty for pushing.....why can't people get that. had they stated it was for "Unnecessary Roughness", my argument would be non existent....they got it wrong and it cost us the game period.

 

[Uncle Rico]

... If the head of officiating understands it one way, who knows how it was explained to coaches and teams in training camp? What if the guy visiting Pats camp had his head up his ass?

We didn't lose the game because of one call. But there's obviously some major confusion around this issue, and not just with BB. If the head of officiating understands the rule the same way as BB, and that's wrong, then who knows what the **** the rest of those moronic refs think?

If the head of officiating understands the rule the same way as BB, then it goes well beyond just an NFL.com article.

100% nailed it.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I am more concerned about the play of our defense and 3rd down productivity than this rule....we have a long way to go...

 

[jah]

No guarantee the Pats would have even won if the penalty wasn't called. That offense wasn't getting it done in the second half.

 

[CheekyDave]

Yes, we "deserved" to lose the game. Regardless at that juncture we had not.

Ive been watching sports since 1965 and have uniformly ALWAYS thought conspiracy theories were the province of upset gamblers and homefans distraught their team was "robbed"

Crackpots tin foil helmet wearers basement dwellers.

I feel like I just lost my virginity.

 

[50-yard-line]

It's not a conspiracy.

It was a bone-headed call.

We've been hearing about the tuck rule call since '01 - for most people it was the first time they had seen it. Oakland is still bitter.

But that had been called many times during the year, previous to that play, and the call in the snow game still causes anger.

The call yesterday was RIDICULOUS, and yes, it probably cost the Pats the game. You really don't like their chances getting the ball at the 46 and needing only a field goal? And I never buy into "don't deserve to win" bull. You score more points than the other guys and you deserve to win.

It is RIDICULOUS to enforce a rule for the first time in a critical spot in an overtime game...that alone makes me wonder: no, not a conspiracy to favor the Jets, but a way to make a huge point to the rest of the league, maybe?

Calling that penalty at that time is a shot across the bow of 32 NFL teams, and every serious fan now knows the rule. Calling it in the first quarter of a game on an easy field goal, where it woud have been enforced on the ensuing kick-off offers no visibility.

By the way, wonder how Donkey fans feel about the roughing the passer Vickerson got last night for bumping into Andrew Luck. That was a joke.

 

[PatsSox363804]

It's not a conspiracy.

It was a bone-headed call.

We've been hearing about the tuck rule call since '01 - for most people it was the first time they had seen it. Oakland is still bitter.

But that had been called many times during the year, previous to that play, and the call in the snow game still causes anger.

The call yesterday was RIDICULOUS, and yes, it probably cost the Pats the game. You really don't like their chances getting the ball at the 46 and needing only a field goal? And I never buy into "don't deserve to win" bull. You score more points than the other guys and you deserve to win.

It is RIDICULOUS to enforce a rule for the first time in a critical spot in an overtime game...that alone makes me wonder: no, not a conspiracy to favor the Jets, but a way to make a huge point to the rest of the league, maybe?

Calling that penalty at that time is a shot across the bow of 32 NFL teams, and every serious fan now knows the rule. Calling it in the first quarter of a game on an easy field goal, where it woud have been enforced on the ensuing kick-off offers no visibility.

By the way, wonder how Donkey fans feel about the roughing the passer Vickerson got last night for bumping into Andrew Luck. That was a joke.

As a side note, when Manning got that PI call in the 3rd quarter am I the only one who said "how do you feel about it now, Colts fans?"

 

[upstater1]

No guarantee the Pats would have even won if the penalty wasn't called. That offense wasn't getting it done in the second half.

Don't you mean 3rd quarter?

They did have 2 long drives for field goals (one of which ended with a bogus pick call on Gronkowski).

4th qtr. they did have 3 drives. Given that they would have had the ball at the Jets 46, they'd need only 20 yards to get into Gost's FG range. Surely you believe the Patriots can get 20 yards against the Jets.

 

[upstater1]

Yes, we "deserved" to lose the game. Regardless at that juncture we had not.

Ive been watching sports since 1965 and have uniformly ALWAYS thought conspiracy theories were the province of upset gamblers and homefans distraught their team was "robbed"

Crackpots tin foil helmet wearers basement dwellers.

I feel like I just lost my virginity.

I have no doubts that this is not part of a conspiracy, but sports gambling and history tells you that there are conspiracies. From the NBA's ref Donaghy to the multiple point-shaving scams in college bball and football, to refs openly holding vendettas in the NBA and umpires in MLB, and especially in European soccer where scandals are legendary. Not to mention the crookedness of the Olympics. To say conspiracies don't happen in sports (when they happen in all facets of human endeavor) is pure blindness. I don't think anything happened here other than a ref with an agenda.

That doesn't mean it's a conspiracy. It only means the ref was biased. I certainly believe he was given what we saw from the Gost FG.

 

[Kontradiction]

I am more concerned about the play of our defense and 3rd down productivity than this rule....we have a long way to go...

Well, the awful call is what eventually ended up costing the Pats the game. But you're correct. The bigger concern, as fans (at least IMO), is why they were in a dog fight in OT with the Jets in the first place. The defense was consistently terrible yesterday. With that in mind, the team should put a premium on signing Talib long term in the offseason or finding a suitable replacement.

 

[Don_the_patfan]

Proof Jets violated same rule but no call

Now this loss is on the pats and Brady for not executing when they needed to so that's that. But just saying NFL:

https://twitter.com/PatriotsXLVIII/status/392285015431983104/photo/1

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Ive been watching sports since 1965 and have uniformly ALWAYS thought conspiracy theories were the province of upset gamblers and homefans distraught their team was "robbed"

Crackpots tin foil helmet wearers basement dwellers.

I feel like I just lost my virginity.

Even after Tim Donaghy and the NBA debacle???
Watching the Sacramento-Laker game 6 from 2002 ( with no dog in the fight) or the Seattle-Pittsburgh Super Bowl sealed it for me......My naivete is long gone....

http://roundballdaily.com/2010/05/1...ings-and-the-fixed-western-conference-finals/

Getting OT here but if a year ago someone had told you that the gov't is collecting and possibly reading all the emails sent, you'd have laughed them off as a conspiracy theorist. Now they don't seem as crazy with the NSA revelations....